Asianna Danielle J. Junge, a junior at Rice University, came up to me after my keynote at AMA Houston – American Marketing Association’s Marketing Edge conference today.
She told me she’d learned a lot and wanted to know more about the research I referenced showing women use AI 16-20% less than men at work. (See link in the comments to a post I shared on this topic last week.)
“I was inspired to see an Asian woman executive leading a discussion on AI. I’ve never seen a Filipino woman do this. I’m Filipino too.”
We don’t talk enough about representation in AI and tech. I’ve decided to speak up more in rooms that stay quiet on this.
In my talk, I mentioned that I worry about my aging mother in Manila. Although my daughter is only a few miles away at Colorado University – Boulder, I miss her dearly. I get sick, exhausted, distracted. I’m affected by my environment in ways AI isn’t. But AI doesn’t have a moral compass, so I guide it so it knows right from wrong.
We have different strengths. We can overcome each other’s limitations.
Meeting Asianna reminded me why this matters. If showing up and doing work I care about helps someone see what’s possible for them, that’s enough.
To anyone who wonders if their voice is too small… it isn’t. The vision for AI is to benefit all of humanity. We need your perspective at the table.
Thank you to Sheana Hamill, Henry Adaso, Joel Luks, and the AMA Houston team for inviting me and creating space for these conversations.