Dr Allison Gardner, a lecturer in Keele’s School of Computing and Mathematics, was invited to the prestigious Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in July to discuss the role of women in driving the digital revolution.

Dr Gardner was invited to be part of a discussion panel at the Chatham House Gender and Growth Forum, an annual forum which brings together a committed group of action-oriented policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, activists and academics to generate key policy ideas and support the work of the Women 20 (W20) and other international forums.

Dr Gardner, who is also a co-founder of Women Leading in AI, was joined by a number of experts in artificial intelligence (AI) to discuss how to build ethical, moral, and human values into the future of AI and what governance mechanisms must be in place to minimise AI’s potential harm and maximise its benefits.

There were also discussions about the tremendous opportunities, risks and new challenges that digital technology provides.

Dr Gardner said: “AI offers many advantages but also a significant disadvantage if implemented in an unethical and biased manner. Women in particular are most likely to be negatively affected. This is why it is important we have forums such as this to address the likely impact, consider the solutions and make people aware of the potential far-reaching impact AI can have on society, with a particular focus on ensuring women are part of the discussion and solution.”

Following her appearance on the discussion panel, Dr Gardner was interviewed on the Undercurrents podcast about how to prevent bias in AI.