A Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) team member recently published a book about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and what an equitable approach to it could mean for underrepresented communities.
Nyjal J. Drayton, webmaster at TMCF, said he knew he wanted to write “AI For The Culture: How Emerging Tech Is Leveling The Playing Field” after recognizing the growing need for accessible education around the technology, and the number of people asking him how to get started using AI responsibly, ethically and efficiently.
Drayton started experimenting with AI in late 2022, around the same time OpenAI released ChatGPT.
“At the time, I was leading TMCF’s MetaScholars program on the I&E team, which gave me early exposure to emerging technologies,” Drayton said.
He said the clear disconnect he saw between access, education and representation inspired him to explore the relationship between AI and the culture.
‘AI is advancing rapidly, but so many people in our communities aren’t being included in the conversation because of lack of exposure, lack of literacy or being over-hesitant,” Drayton said. “Our culture has always been innovative, we just haven’t always been given the tools or a seat at the table.”
By writing this book, Drayton said he wanted to start to break that barrier down and create something that could help people understand, engage and lead with AI in ways that feel natural and empowering.
“This book was meant to blow past all the hype AI brought and highlight its potential for empowerment and impact,” Drayton said. “I wrote it to help our communities understand and lead with AI and not just catch up to it or only be consumers. The goal was to make the technology feel accessible and actionable, so we can show up in this space with confidence and clarity.”
When he envisions his most hopeful future regarding AI’s impact, Drayton said he hopes it levels the playing field.
“I imagine students and creators from underrepresented communities using AI to innovate, build and lead, because they had access to the right tools and support,” he said. “If we approach AI with intention and equity, it can become a powerful force for opportunity and transformation.”
During the research process, Drayton said one of the most surprising insights he found was the number of new jobs and skills emerging because of AI.
Drayton cautions users to proceed thoughtfully because there are ethical considerations.
“When dealing with AI some ethical points to consider would be bias, misinformation, data privacy and human oversight,” he said. “AI models can reflect societal biases from the data they’re trained on, so it’s really important to question the outputs.”
Echoing advice from when the internet was in its infancy and growing, Drayton said AI can present incorrect information, making fact-checking essential.
“People should also be mindful of what data they’re sharing and who’s behind the tools they use,” he said. ‘Most importantly, AI should assist and not replace human judgment, especially in decisions that impact others.”
“AI For The Culture” is available on Amazon.
