Hack the Gender Gap: A Women’s Hackathon on Diversifying AI at WVU

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a diversity problem. The authors of algorithms that drive the majority of our every day interactivity, participation and decision making do not adequately represent gender, racial or economic diversity they intend to serve. That’s why MediaShift and the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University will convene college-age women from around the country to envision their role and influence in diversifying the emerging artificial intelligence

Ximena Acosta is a pioneer in the diversity and multicultural space. She is an experience designer with a background in marketing, communications and research. Having lived in 6 countries, 8 cities and countless neighborhoods, she has been able to see the world through many different lenses. Each experience has broadened her vision on how to improve the lives of those around her as well as her own. She has held corporate positions at Estee Lauder, Comcast and Universal among others where she worked in marketing, market research and cultural insights to better understand the relationship between people and brands and users and products. She currently works on consulting projects for various clients including NBC, Gibson, Lexus and Sony. You can follow her on Twitter @XimenaAcosta.