🔍 Facial-recognition technology is already being used for applications ranging from unlocking phones to identifying potential criminals. Despite advances, it has still come under fire for racial bias: many algorithms that successfully identify white faces still fail to properly do so for people of color.

Federal researchers have found widespread evidence of racial bias in nearly 200 facial recognition algorithms in an extensive government study, highlighting the technology's shortcomings and potential for misuse.

🔑Join IBM Developer and the IBM Austin Black Business Resource Group for a technical talk and panel discussion on voice and visual recognition software. We will explore issues surrounding ethical AI and the use of these technologies, and learn how tech companies are attempting to attack these issues head-on in order to create AI that works for everyone.

This IBM Developer event is open to everyone, and we encourage everyone to join the conversation. When we all have empathy for others, we can build amazing things that benefit everyone.

🔭 Agenda : (Central Time)
6:00pm Check-In & Introductions
6:15pm Visual Recognition Software Tech Talk
6:30pm Voice Recognition Software Tech Talk
6:45pm Panel Discussion
7:30pm Q&A

Mary Haskett
CEO & Co-Founder @ Blink Identity

Mary Haskett is the CEO and co-founder of Blink Identity, a venture backed startup developing a unique privacy-preserving face recognition product that can identify people at a full walking speed and in any lighting conditions.

Dr. Antoine Flowers
Data Scientist @ Google

Antwoine Flowers is an experienced data scientist and Artificial Intelligence researcher currently working at Google. His research focuses on the development of machine learning algorithms that compliment, not replace the human worker. Antwoine holds a Bachelors in Biology from Tuskegee University, a prestigious HBCU founded by Booker T. Washington in 1886 and a Doctorate in Neuroscience from the University of South Florida.

A native of the south side of chicago he is passionate about the intersection of technology, culture, and community. He is a board member of “A Tribe Called Tech”, a non-profit created to support HBCU students transitioning into the technology industry. He is also a co-founder of curious momentum, an educational technology brand leveraging combining art, music, and A.I. to revolutionize how children engage with stem curriculum.

***Panel Speakers***

Mike Hollinger
Master Inventor and Senior Technical Staff Member @ IBM AI Applications

Mike Hollinger is Chief Architect for Machine Vision and Time Series Data in IBM AI Applications. He’s responsible for creating software that leverages computer vision and sensor data to address business needs in a variety of industries. Mike spent two years in Taipei, Taiwan as Lead Software Architect for IBM’s Power Systems Taiwan firmware development team. Mike's also an IBM Master Inventor, recognizing his contributions to the IBM intellectual property portfolio. When he's not tinkering, he's either running on a trail in Austin, TX alongside his husband David, or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Dr. Fatma Tarlaci
Machine Learning Scientist @ OpenTeams

Fatma Tarlaci is a Machine Learning Scientist @ OpenTeams She specializes in Natural Language Processing and its applications. Prior to her current role, she worked as a Data Scientist at Quansight. She is an advocate of open source software, ethical AI, and DEI in the tech industry. She volunteers at multiple professional organizations, supporting these causes.

Umar Lyoob
Data Scientist @ IBM Research

***Moderator***

Jenna Ritten
IBM Cloud Developer Advocate

Jenna Ritten (@jritten) is a cloud software developer turned developer advocate for IBM Cloud. She works on expanding the reach of open source technologies to Detroit and Austin's developer communities. Her areas of interest include hackathons, design-thinking workshops, NLU/NLP, gamified learning, and Blockchain. Jenna left Detroit to attend Dev Bootcamp San Francisco to learn full-stack web development before joining IBM Austin as part of the Tech Re-Entry program. She is an advocate for non-traditional people in tech, much like herself, and provides support by building and fostering communities for underrepresented people in tech.

Ethical AI: Bias in Visual & Voice Recognition Software