This thematic area examines the measures countries have in place to promote and protect cultural diversity in the design, development and use of AI.
Cultural diversity refers to the range of ideas, customs and social behaviors shared by different groups of people in time and place, often expressed through language. It is an integral ‘source of exchange, innovation and creativity’ which promotes the achievement of ‘a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence’ for all citizens.
Country and regional scores
Bright spots
Relevance
AI development entails building machines with “human-like intelligence and capabilities” which reflect particular notions of language, images, knowledge, and learning. The cultural contexts in which humans live fundamentally shapes our behavior as well as the values and beliefs we hold and the social practices that follow. Accordingly, the development of AI in specific cultural and linguistic contexts that fail to adequately represent the larger diversity of global cultures where AI gets deployed subjects AI to cultural biases which can raise ethical concerns and prejudices.
Country rankings by Cultural and linguistic diversity
*In the table above, data was collected for Chinese Taipei (commonly referred to as Taiwan) and the West Bank, which is under the administration of the Palestinian Authority. No data collection took place in Gaza. We recognize that these are, at the time of writing, disputed jurisdictions.
