To give women academics and others their well-deserved—and overdue—time in the spotlight, TechCrunch is publishing a series of interviews focusing on notable women who have contributed to the AI revolution. We’re publishing these pieces throughout the year as the AI boom continues, highlighting essential work that often goes unrecognized. Read more profiles here.
Dar’shun Kendrick is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, post was elected to at age 27 in 2010. He has a storied career in politics, justice and technology, including on the Small Business Development and Jobs Committee and the Technology and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves on the Artificial Intelligence subcommittee. He has also worked with the National Black Caucus Legislators’ National Telecommunications, Science and Technology Committee, and in 2019, created the Georgia House of Representatives’ first bipartisan Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee.
Kendrick attended Oglethorpe University and received her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He is a lawyer and opened in 2017 law and investment advisory firm to help women and black founders learn more about raising capital.
Briefly, how did you get started with AI? What drew you to the space?
I got started in artificial intelligence from my broad involvement in technology. I’m a securities attorney, so I help founders nationwide raise billions in private equity as well as advise VC funds. So, because of the work I do for my “day job,” I’m always listening and participating in capital raises with the latest technology.
I was and still am drawn to AI because of how interesting it is as a policy maker to balance making life easier for people while making sure machine learning doesn’t disrupt our democracy and what makes us human. As a lawyer, I’m also interested because VCs and founders in the AI space seem to buck the recent trends of not attracting as much venture capital as other subsets of technology. I have no idea why it’s necessary, and that’s what makes it fascinating.
What work in AI are you most proud of?
This last legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, I was on a small artificial intelligence subcommittee that approved legislation regarding the upcoming election and the “deepfakes” made by political campaigns to influence the election.
It’s just a start, but I’m proud that the state of Georgia is starting to have these conversations. Government tends to be so many years behind in catching up with emerging technology, so I’m glad we’re starting to look at everything around AI — particularly genetic AI.
How do you address the challenges of the male-dominated tech industry and, by extension, the male-dominated AI industry?
Appear. I show up in places where these otherwise male-dominated industries don’t expect to see me — events, conferences, debates, etc. It’s the same way I was able to break into the male-dominated venture capital industry: I just showed up knowing what I’m talking about and providing something of value to the industry.
What advice would you give to women looking to enter the AI field?
Produce. Women are used to multitasking. This is one of the best uses of productive and applied AI, in my opinion. So I know that women can produce a new AI product to make life easier because we are the ones who need it. You don’t need to develop the product — you just need to be a visionary. Someone else can fix it. Appear. There are only so many spaces we can stay away from. Keep learning. Technology changes so fast. You want to be able to provide value when you get the chance and as you enter this space, so — listen to YouTube and sign up for an email for someone talking about this space.
What are some of the most pressing issues facing artificial intelligence as it evolves?
Scam. Whenever there is a new technology, someone is sneaky and cunning enough to find a way to use it for evil. Especially since it is AI, the most vulnerable communities, such as the elderly and immigrant populations, will be targeted. Privacy. History as old as time and continues with AI. As you feed the AI machine more information about yourself, the better it gets.
The downside is that it now knows and stores a lot of information about you. Data breaches happen all the time. Hacking is one thing. So it’s worrying. Tailored to small businesses. Government, legal sector, financial services. All these industries tend to be more conservative and slower to adapt to new technologies. But in this fast-paced world, slow adoption of AI is a recipe for failure as a small business. Governments and corporate partners must find a way to reinvent businesses to meet the changing landscape of technology and business growth coming from AI.
What are some issues AI users should be aware of?
You have to second guess everything due to fraud and you have to be selective about the information you share with AI platforms. Additionally, users should be aware that, as a general rule, AI technology is only as smart as human input. So there’s still the potential for discrimination — think AI in job applications — that can come from using it.
What’s the best way to build responsible AI?
Create a written code of conduct “DOs and DO NOTs” that focuses on privacy, data security, anti-fraud measures and ongoing reassessment of bias issues with the system. Write down this ethics framework, share it with the group and stick to it.
How can investors best push for responsible AI?
[See above] and check-in responsibly. In particular, companies that claim to focus on ESG [environmental, social, and governance] hold them accountable by asking the right questions, requiring a written ethics plan, and setting metrics to truly brag about being an ESG investment.
What we all have to do—the government, the private sector, and individuals—is find relatively quickly where the balance lies between innovation, which I love as a hallmark of America, with rights—right to privacy, right to freedom , right to due process and non-discrimination. The sooner we understand this balance and act, the better off we will be as a country and a world.
