To shine a well-deserved and long-overdue spotlight on women academics and others focused on AI, TechCrunch is launching an interview series highlighting notable women who have contributed to the AI revolution.
Charlette N'Guessan is Data Solutions and Ecosystem Lead at Amini, a deep-tech startup using space technology and artificial intelligence to address the environmental data gap in Africa and the Global South.
She co-founded and led product development for Bace API, a secure identity verification system that leverages AI-powered facial recognition technology to combat online identity fraud and address facial recognition bias in the African context. She is also an AI expert consultant to the African Union’s High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies, working on the AU-AI continental strategy titled “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Socio-Economic Development in Africa”, with a focus on shaping the AI governance environment in Africa.
N’Guessan is also the co-author of several publications and was the first woman to receive the African Engineering Innovation Prize awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Just to briefly ask, how did you get started working in AI? What attracted you to this field?
I have a background in engineering through formal and informal education. I have always been passionate about leveraging technology to build solutions that positively impact communities. This ambition led me to move to Ghana in 2017 with the aim of learning from an English-speaking market and beginning my journey as a technology entrepreneur.
During the development process of my startup, my ex-co-founder and I conducted market research to identify challenges in the financial sector and online identity fraud emerged. We then decided to build a secure, reliable and effective solution for financial institutions to bridge the gap in serving the unbanked in remote areas and establish trust online. This resulted in a software solution leveraging facial recognition and AI technology, tailored to make it easier for organizations to handle online client identity verification while at the same time training our models with representative data for the African market. This was my initial trigger for getting involved in the AI industry. In 2023, despite our efforts, we faced various challenges and were forced to discontinue commercializing our product in the market. However, this experience fueled my determination to continue working in the AI field.
I was drawn to AI because I saw its enormous power as a tool to solve societal problems. Once you understand the technology, you can see its potential to address a wide range of issues. This understanding sparked my passion for AI and continues to drive my work in this field today.
What work in AI are you most proud of?
I am extremely proud of my journey as a deep tech entrepreneur. Building an AI-driven startup in Africa is no easy feat, so this is a huge achievement for those who embarked on this journey. This experience was a major milestone in my professional life, and I am grateful for the challenges and opportunities it has brought.
Today, I am proud of the work we are doing at Amini to address the challenge of data scarcity on the African continent. As an ex-founder, I have faced this problem myself and am extremely grateful to work with such inspiring and talented problem solvers. Today, my team and I have developed a solution by building a data infrastructure that uses space technology and AI to make data accessible and understandable. Our work is a game changer and a critical starting point for more data-driven products to emerge in the African market.
How do you address the challenges of a male-dominated tech industry, and even a male-dominated AI industry?
The reality is that the situation we currently face in the industry has been shaped by social biases and gender stereotypes that have been ingrained over the years. Most women working in the AI industry have been told at least once that they are in the wrong industry because they are expected to be A, B, C, or D.
Why should we make choices? Why should society dictate our path? We must not forget that women have made enormous contributions to science and have led to some of the most influential technological advances that society benefits from today. They demonstrate what women can achieve when given education and resources.
I know it will take time to change mindsets, but we can't wait. We need to keep encouraging girls to study science and pursue careers in AI. Honestly, I see progress and feel hopeful compared to before. I believe that ensuring equal opportunities in the industry will encourage more women to enter AI, and increasing opportunities for women in leadership positions will accelerate change towards gender equality in a male-dominated industry.
What advice do you have for women looking to enter the AI field?
Focus on learning and make sure you acquire the skills you need in the AI field. Understand that you may be expected to demonstrate your abilities more than your male colleagues in the industry. To be honest, investing in your skills is crucial and gives you a solid foundation. I believe this will not only boost your confidence to seize opportunities, but also strengthen your resilience and professional growth.
What are the most pressing issues facing AI as it evolves?
Among the most pressing issues AI faces as it evolves is the difficulty in articulating the short-term and long-term impact of AI on humans. This is currently a global debate due to the uncertainty surrounding the emerging technology. While we have seen impressive applications of AI in industries around the world, including in Africa, especially with recent advances in generative AI solutions and the ability of AI models to process vast amounts of data with minimal latency, we have also seen AI models riddled with various biases and illusions. The world is undoubtedly moving towards an AI-driven future. However, several questions remain unanswered and need to be addressed.
What is the future of humans in the AI loop? What is the right approach for regulators to define policies and laws to mitigate the risks of AI models? What do we mean by AI responsibility and ethical frameworks? Who should be held accountable for the outcomes of AI models?
What issues should AI users be aware of?
I want to remind everyone that we are all AI users first and foremost, above all other titles. We each interact with AI solutions in different ways, either directly or through people (family, friends, etc.) using different devices. That's why it's important to understand the technology itself. One thing to know is that most AI solutions on the market require your data. As a user, you need to understand how much control over your data you want to give to the machine. When considering using an AI solution, consider the privacy of your data and the security the platform offers. This is crucial to protect your users.
Additionally, there has been a lot of buzz around generative AI content. However, it is important to be cautious about the content these tools generate and distinguish between real and fake content. For example, social media users have faced the proliferation of deepfake generated content, which is an example of how bad actors are misusing these tools. To avoid contributing to the problem, always verify the source of any generated content before sharing it.
Finally, AI users should be careful not to become overly dependent on these tools. Some people have become addicted, and there have been cases of users taking negative actions based on recommendations from AI chats. It is important to remember that AI models can produce inaccurate results due to social biases and other factors. In the long term, users should strive to maintain their independence to prevent mental health issues that may result from unethical AI tools.
What is the best way to build AI responsibly?
This is an interesting topic. As an AI expert consultant, I have been involved with the African Union's High Commission on Emerging Technologies, where I have been focusing on drafting the AU-AI continental strategy with stakeholders from different backgrounds and relevant countries. The goal of this strategy is to guide AU member states to recognize the value of AI in economic growth and develop a framework that supports the development of AI solutions while protecting Africans. Some key principles to always consider when building responsible AI for the African market are:
Context matters: Make sure your models are diverse and inclusive to address societal discrimination based on gender, region, race, age, etc. Accessibility: Can users access your solution? For example, how can you ensure that people living in remote areas can benefit from your solution? Accountability: Make it clear who is responsible if the model's results are biased or potentially harmful. Explainability: Make sure the results of your AI model are understandable to stakeholders. Data privacy and safety: Develop data privacy and safety policies to protect your users and ensure they comply with existing laws in the regions where you operate.
How can investors promote responsible AI?
Ideally, AI companies should have an ethical framework as a prerequisite for being considered for investment. However, one of the challenges is that many investors may lack the knowledge and understanding of AI technology. What I have learned is that AI-driven products are not subject to the same investment risk assessment as other technology products in the market.
To address this challenge, investors need to go beyond trends and deeply evaluate solutions at both a technology and impact level, which may involve engaging with industry experts to better understand the technical aspects of AI solutions and their potential short- and long-term impact.