340: Critical Thinking over Code: Tess Posner, AI4ALL CEO, on Raising Responsible AI Leaders

Tess Posner is the CEO and founding leader of AI4ALL, a nonprofit that works to ensure the next generation of AI leaders is diverse and well-quipped to innovate. Since joining in 2017, she has focused on embedding ethics, responsibility, and real-world impact into AI education. Her work connects students from underrepresented backgrounds to hands-on projects and mentorships that prepare them to lead in tech. Beyond her role at AI4ALL, Tess is a musician whose 2023 EP Alchemy has over 600,000 streams on Spotify. She was named a 2020 Brilliant Woman in AI Ethics Hall of Fame Honoree and holds degrees from St. John’s University and Columbia University. In this conversation, we discuss:Why AI literacy is becoming essential for everyone, from casual users to future developersThe role of project-based learning in helping students see the real-world impact of AIWhat it takes to expand AI access for underrepresented communitiesHow AI can either reinforce bias or drive real change, depending on who’s leading its developmentWhy schools should stop penalizing AI use and instead teach students to use it with curiosity and responsibilityTess’s views on balancing optimism and caution in the development of AI tools Resources:Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Tess on LinkedIn or learn more about AI4ALLAI fun fact articleOn How To Build and Activate a Powerful NetworkPast episodes mentioned in this conversation:[With Tess in 2020] - About what leaders do in a crisis[With Tess in 2019] - About how to mitigate AI bias and hiring best practices [With Chris Caren, Turnitin CEO] - On Using AI to Prevent Students from Cheating[With Marcus "Bellringer" Bell] - On Creating North America’s First AI Artist