Joy Buolamwini

Dr. Joy Buolamwini is a Canadian-American computer scientist, AI researcher, and digital activist widely recognised for exposing biases in artificial intelligence. She is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL), an organisation that combines art, advocacy, and research to address the societal impact of AI. Her landmark study, Gender Shades, revealed significant racial and gender disparities in facial recognition systems, with darker-skinned women experiencing error rates of up to 34.7%, compared to 0.8% for lighter-skinned men. This research led companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon to improve their AI systems.

Buolamwini has addressed global audiences at the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and the U.S. Congress. Her efforts contributed to regulatory discussions, including advising President Biden’s administration on Executive Order 14110 regarding AI governance. She co-created the Safe Face Pledge, advocating for ethical AI use, and launched initiatives like the Community Reporting of Algorithmic System Harms (CRASH).

Her book, Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines (2023), examines the risks of AI systems reinforcing societal inequities. She is featured in the documentary Coded Bias and has been recognised on the Edelman "AI Creators You Need to Know" list, TIME 100 Next, Fortune 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, and Bloomberg 50.

Born in Edmonton, Canada, Buolamwini grew up in Mississippi and graduated with honours in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she researched health informatics. A Rhodes Scholar and Fulbright Fellow, she earned master’s degrees from Oxford University and MIT. In 2022, she completed her PhD at MIT Media Lab, focusing on algorithmic bias and accountability through her thesis, Facing the Coded Gaze.

Dr. Joy Adowaa Buolamwini was born on 23 January 1990 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and grew up in Mississippi, United States. Her interest in technology began early; at nine years old, she was inspired by MIT’s robot Kismet and taught herself XHTML, JavaScript, and PHP. During her school years at Cordova High School in Tennessee, she excelled academically and athletically, participating in basketball and competitive pole vaulting.

She became a Rhodes Scholar and earned a master’s degree in Education (Learning and Technology) at Oxford University in 2014. Her thesis examined participation in graduate-level computer science education. Following this, she joined MIT Media Lab to pursue a second master’s degree in 2015, during which she conducted her landmark research project, Gender Shades. This study exposed significant racial and gender biases in commercial facial recognition systems and led to improvements by companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon.

In 2016, Joy founded the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL) to advocate for equitable and accountable AI. She also developed the Aspire Mirror, an interactive art project reflecting inspirational figures using facial recognition. Her efforts expanded to the global stage, including participation in the White House’s Computer Science for All summit.

In 2017, Joy co-authored Gender Shades: Intersectional Accuracy Disparities in Commercial Gender Classification, a paper that gained international attention. She also completed her master’s thesis at MIT, supervised by Ethan Zuckerman. In the same year, she won the grand prize in the Search for Hidden Figures competition, tied to the film Hidden Figures.

As a Fulbright Fellow, she worked in Zambia, empowering youth to become creators of technology. Her work has been featured in exhibitions at institutions such as the Barbican Centre in London and Ars Electronica in Austria. Her mini-documentary The Coded Gaze, debuted in 2016, further examined bias in AI.

Joy completed her PhD in 2022 at MIT Media Lab, with her thesis titled Facing the Coded Gaze. She continued to lead AJL, conducting research and advocating for policies such as the Safe Face Pledge, which prohibits the unethical use of facial recognition technologies.

In 2023, Joy Buolamwini published her book, Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines, which detailed her research and its implications. Her TED Talk on algorithmic bias has gained over 1.7 million views, and her work has been cited globally in regulatory discussions, including her advisory role in shaping the Biden administration's Executive Order 14110 on AI governance.

Joy Buolamwini has received numerous accolades, including being named on the TIME 100 Next, Fortune 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, Bloomberg 50, and the Edelman "AI Creators You Need to Know" list. Her advocacy and research have also been highlighted in the documentary Coded Bias.

Currently, Joy Buolamwini continues her work as the President and Artist-in-Chief of AJL, focusing on developing inclusive and fair AI systems. Through AJL, she engages with policymakers, researchers, and the public to raise awareness of AI’s societal impact and promote ethical practices in technology development.

Dr. Joy Buolamwini envisions a world where artificial intelligence is developed and used in ways that promote fairness, accountability, and inclusivity. She aims to eliminate biases in AI systems that can harm underrepresented groups and reinforce societal inequalities. Through her organisation, the Algorithmic Justice League, she works to create awareness, develop ethical standards, and advocate for policies that ensure AI systems benefit all individuals equally. Her vision includes fostering global collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and communities to build technology that respects human rights, enhances equality, and safeguards the well-being of people in an increasingly digital world.

Dr. Joy Buolamwini has received significant recognition for her work in AI ethics and advocacy. She was named on prestigious lists such as TIME 100 Next, Fortune 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, and Bloomberg 50. She won the grand prize in the Search for Hidden Figures competition and was honoured as a Rhodes Scholar and Fulbright Fellow. Her contributions earned her the ASQ Hutchens Medal and inclusion in the Edelman "AI Creators You Need to Know" list. Dr. Buolamwini also received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Dartmouth College in 2024 for her efforts in exposing AI biases.