The Path to Zero Exclusion with Yonah Welker

Yonah Welker is a technology innovator, influencer, and advocate for diversity and zero exclusion in AI. They are at the forefront of policies and applications for adaptive, assistive, and social AI.  

In this illuminating discussion, Yonah traces their personal journey from isolation to advocacy through technology. They are passionate about the future of AI-enabled education, healthcare, and civics. Yet caution that our current approach to inclusion is not, in fact, inclusive. While evaluating mechanisms for accountability, Yonah shares lessons learned from the European Commission’s diverse approach to technology evaluation.   

Yonah has an expansive view of how AI can “change everything” for those who experience life differently – whether they are autistic, neurodiverse, disabled or dyslexic. Kimberly and Yonah discuss how AI is expanding the borders of the classroom and workplace today. And how these solutions can inadvertently reinforce existing barriers if not mindfully applied. This leads naturally to the need for broad community collaboration and human involvement beyond traditional corporate boundaries. 

Yonah highlights our responsibilities as digital citizens and the critical debate over digital ownership. Finally, Yonah emphasizes that we are all, at our core, activists who can influence the trajectory of AI.  

A transcript of this episode can be found here. 

Our next episode features Dr. Valérie Morignat PhD. Valerie is the CEO of Intelligent Story and a leading advisor on the creative economy who works at the intersection of art and AI. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.