The dominant narrative around technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is their ability to improve human existence. It’s about harnessing immense computing power to solve the world’s greatest problems, from ultra-efficient food production and healthcare, to smarter urban planning.

That sounds idyllic – the key to a Utopian future – until you look closer and realise this discourse is just the buzzword-stuffed sales pitch version. It’s dream; not reality, preferring to focus on one gleaming portion of the big picture at the expense of its very real dark side.

Because as much as AI has the potential to uplift humanity, it also can easily reinforce existing biases and inequalities. Systems are programmed by people after all, and if those people aren’t reflective of diverse human experience, minority groups can find themselves as disadvantaged as ever.

As examples, you get facial recognition systems that misidentify black faces, and AI-powered recruiting and training software that demonstrates prejudice against candidates of colour from the get go.

Which brings us to Mozilla’s annual Creative Media Awards. The Awards are part of the non-profit Mozilla Foundation’s mission to bring about more trustworthy online technologies that are truly striving for the public good. Tapping into USD 260,000 in funding, the 2021 Creative Media Award projects all come from black artists, activists and professionals who spotlight how AI can reinforce — or disrupt — systems of oppression.

These projects range from databases and apps to interactive web experiences and more traditional visual arts. Particularly interesting are web-based app Melalogic, which is focused on black skin health, and Future Wake, which uses AI and data sets to determine where, when, and how police brutality in the United States is most likely to occur.

Also catching our eye is Afro Algorithms, an animated Afrofuturist short made with the participation of African creatives. While the 14-minute film – described as “the love child of Black Panther and I, Robot” – is written, directed, and produced by American Anatola Araba, it’s been brought to life by Nigerian animator Duru Azubuike and South African 3D artist Nkosana Ngwenya. Also involved are actors Ava Raiin, Robin Quivers and Hoji Fortuna, and France-based musician Jeebrahil, with the result being a project that is entirely made by black creators.

At only 14 minutes long, indie effort Afro Algorithms is more a thought starter than anything else. However, what you’ll find in this Afrocentric tale of the world’s first AI ruler is an important point about how excluding worldviews from any databank — most noticeably the stories of the historically marginalized and oppressed – is both dangerously misleading and creatively limiting. Omission of varied perspectives is a barrier to true progress.  

After premiering at Mozfest last month, Afro Algorithms is currently touring the global film festival circuit. Look out for it in the near future at the following events:

  • Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles: April 19 – May 1, 2022
  • NFFTY National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle: April 28 – May 8, 2022
    (Nominated in the “Best Animation” category)
  • Afro Animation Summit, a virtual event for increasing diversity in Animation: April 27 – 28, 2022 (Anatola Araba will be speaking on a women in animation panel)
  • FOCUS Film Festival, a virtual event for BIPOC storytellers at NYU: April 21 – 23, 2022
    (Nominated in the “Best Animation” category)