Tokyo, Nov. 10 (Jiji Press)–Artificial intelligence could widen global inequalities as some people have limited access to digital technology, a senior UN Women official warned in an interview with Jiji Press. Indigenous communities whose languages or knowledge are not documented in published sources could be excluded from public policymaking if AI relies solely on published information, UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda said in the interview in Tokyo on Saturday. She also said that women could have their lives destroyed in an instant by the spread of fake images and videos, including deepfakes. Gumbonzvanda said that having more women enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and participate in AI development can help bridge the digital divide. Noting the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, Gumbonzvanda called on women to “bring your experience to transform AI for good.” Elsewhere in the interview, Gumbonzvanda said that “there’s been good progress” in improving gender equality since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, citing the increase in the number of girls receiving primary education and the decrease in maternal mortality rates. Gumbonzvanda, however, said that only 28 of the 193 U.N. member states are led by women and that “there are very few countries that have women in decision-making.” While acknowledging that some progress has been made in some countries, Gumbonzvanda said that the pace of increase in the number of women in leadership positions remains “too slow.” She also said that having a woman leader in Japan is “very important,” referring to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October last year as the country’s first female prime minister. Still, Gumbonzvanda highlighted the need to have more women in local governments and cabinet posts. While many countries are steadily boosting their defense expenditures amid a challenging international situation, Gumbonzvanda argued that sufficient funding should be allocated to improving the status of women. She called on governments worldwide to work on closing the gender pay gap and making sanitary products tax-free. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
