Is AI "Woke"?

Simplifying emerging technology trends with Shira Lazar. Learn what matters in web3 and AI in under 3 minutes per week.

Author

Shira Lazar
February 26, 2024

Hello Alpha Fam! I hope you all have had a lovely weekend; I am still on cloud nine from my recent hot air balloon ride.

What You Need To Know 

Google's AI model Gemini recently sparked controversy with its "woke" image generation, portraying historical figures and scenarios in historically inaccurate ways, such as depicting Vikings and founding fathers as people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. 

This led to accusations of anti-white bias and highlighted the challenges AI faces in balancing representation and accuracy. Google has paused Gemini's people-generating feature to address the issue, underscoring the ongoing struggle to fine-tune AI for fair and accurate representation across all contexts.

🔥My Hot Take: Duh! AI has been biased and called out as racist for its non-inclusion of people of color when prompted, but it’s unfortunate that we are only paying attention to this when it impacts white people. This video by Sinead Bovell is a great explanation of the core issue. 

Shira Lazar

In Other News:

Creators Getting Corporate Gigs

Marques Brownlee, a titan in the digital creator space with 18.5 million YouTube followers, has made a groundbreaking move by becoming a board member and chief creative partner at Ridge, an accessories brand. 

At just 30 years old and with an impressive $8.5 million annual income from diverse sources like sponsorships, merchandise, and YouTube ads, Brownlee's new role is a powerful indicator of the evolving influence of creators in the business world.

🔥My Hot Take: This shift is not just significant for Brownlee but serves as a critical signal to all creators: the potential to leverage your platform extends far beyond traditional content creation. Brownlee's transition into a strategic role underscores a new era where creators are recognized not only for their content but for their potential to shape company direction and growth. 

Shira Lazar

Other headlines to check out:

Keeping my eye on…

Pi is an acronym for "Personal intelligence". It's intended to be a 24/7 companion that can help with organizing thoughts, making plans, and acting on them. 

I found https://pi.ai/ through my exploration of how AI can impact and support mental health. Not only can you give it prompts to get support for work or your personal life, but I love the audio feature where you can actually talk to it too and get verbal responses. 

I’m Bullish On…

Judene Small 

Judene is a dynamic leader in technology, media, and the arts with roles at a16z Cultural Leadership Fund, CHIENET, and RootsxWings. She contributes to empowering Black communities and promoting diversity. With a rich educational background in dance, sociology, and business, alongside her involvement in community organizations, Judene is dedicated to creating positive generational change.

Gentle Reminder:

Keep learning, researching, and getting inspired by others, but step back and allow your innate ideas and intuition to sculpt the rest.

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Remember, I'm Bullish on you!

With gratitude,