The joint meeting of the Gender Equality Working Group and the Artificial Intelligence Working Group took place on 11 April at 9:00-16:00 CET in Brussels and on Zoom.
Throughout 2024, Equinet is set to further enhance members’ expertise and foster connections with external stakeholders on the topic of Artificial Intelligence and equality. This will revolve around exploring the influence of diverse digital automation methods, notably AI systems, on the realms of equality and non-discrimination, as well as examining the pivotal role played by Equality Bodies. In particular, Equinet will focus on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on gender equality and discrimination based on the ground of gender.
The joint meeting will be followed by a webinar series on Artificial Intelligence and gender equality.
This joint meeting aimed to provide an overview of the multiple ways in which AI systems may impact gender equality, including intersectional forms of gender-related discrimination, and explore specific case studies that contribute to clarifying intervention strategies for Equality Bodies. Participants will be introduced to existing and new European laws and policies that are suited to address the gender-specific risks of AI and participate in an interactive exercise that will allow them to apply new learning to context-specific scenarios.
09.00 – 09.10 Welcome
09.10 – 10.15 Towards Feminist AI: what is at stake, and how do we identify intervention opportunities?
This session maps the multiple specific ways AI systems interact with gender and its intersections to influence equality and shape strategies for responding to and preventing AI-driven discrimination. What are the gender-specific risks of discrimination in the context of AI systems? What are the critical manifestations of AI’s adverse impact on gender equality?
Q&A (20 minutes) Moderator: Valérie Fontaine
10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 11:30 Examining the gendered impact of AI: European and international policy responses
Starting with an introduction to the origins of algorithmic discrimination, this session takes a bird’s eye view approach to the growing AI policy landscape. It highlights relevant European and global initiatives and situates them in the context of ongoing technological and legal developments.
Q&A (15 minutes) Moderator: Valérie Fontaine
11:30 – 11:45 Update on relevant work by the Council of Europe
This session gives an overview of ongoing work by the Committee of Experts on Artificial Intelligence, Equality and Discrimination (GEC/ADI-AI) on drafting a Recommendation on the impact of artificial intelligence systems, their potential for promoting equality – including gender equality – and the risks they may cause in relation to non-discrimination (due 2025). Discussions will also include updates on CoE’s capacity-building programs on algorithmic discrimination, from which several Equinet members have benefitted.
11.45 – 12.00 Group brainstorming session
This session aims to generate collective thinking and harvest lessons from the preceding discussions to identify three specific areas, topics, or contexts that illustrate the gendered impact of AI and which could be a priority for action by Equality Bodies.
12.00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 13.45 Legal responses to gender inequality in the algorithmic age: risks and opportunities
This session aims to introduce participants to relevant existing and new legal tools to address the gender-specific impact of AI. It will provide a general overview of relevant regulations and actors at EU and international level and complement it with a more in-depth analysis of specific legal instruments (EU AI Act) and actors (AI Office) to explore their potential and limitations for addressing and preventing algorithmic (gender-based) discrimination.
Q&A (15 minutes) Moderator: Valérie Fontaine
13.45 – 15.00 Gender & AI Ideas-for- Impact Incubator
This session will follow the world café format to enable collaboration, interaction, and knowledge sharing through a structured conversation approach. Discussions will be organized around three rounds of conversations, each dedicated to one priority area of gendered AI impact identified in the brainstorming session before lunch. Participants will take turns participating in all three conversations and building upon each other’s insights.
Three rounds of conversation (20 minutes each; buffer time for changing tables: 5 min)
15.00 – 15.15 Coffee break
15.15 – 15.45 Feedback and discussions in plenary
15.45 – 16.00 Closing
16.00 End of the meeting
Download the accessible version of the Joint Meeting Output in Word Format.
For further information, contact Marta Pompili (marta.pompili@equineteurope.org) and Milla Vidina (milla.vidina@equineteurope.org).