Highlighting Women in AI: Catherine Breslin’s Role in Assisting Companies with AI Strategies
To give AI-focused women academics and others their well-deserved — and overdue — time in the spotlight, TechCrunch has been publishing a series of interviews focused on remarkable women who’ve contributed to the AI revolution. We’re publishing these pieces throughout the year as the AI boom continues, highlighting key work that often goes unrecognized. Read more profiles here.
Catherine Breslin is the founder and director of Kingfisher Labs, where she helps companies develop AI strategies. She has spent more than two decades as an AI scientist and has worked for Cambridge University, Toshiba Research, and even Amazon Alexa. She was previously an adviser to the VC fund Deeptech Labs and was the Solutions Architect Director at Cobalt Speech & Language.
She attended Oxford University for undergrad before receiving her master’s and PhD at the University of Cambridge.
Briefly, how did you get your start in AI? What attracted you to the field?
Mathematics and physics were always subjects I had great interest in during my school years which led to me majoring in engineering during my university studies. It was at university where my curiosity for AI sparked when I learned about the use of computers for speech and language processing, something which comes naturally to humans. This led me on the path of earning a PhD in voice technology and a career as a researcher. The giant leaps that AI has taken in recent years has left me optimistic about the prospect of building technology that is capable of enhancing the quality of human life.
What achievements in the AI field are you most proud of?
The early days of the 2020 pandemic saw me taking the initiative of establishing my own consulting firm, aiming to deliver practical AI knowledge and leadership to organizations. I take great pride in the projects I’ve carried out with my clientele over different sectors and am delighted to have been able to do all of these while maintaining a flexible schedule for my family.
What is your strategy for navigating through the male-dominated tech industry and, in particular, the AI sector?
Approximately 20% of professionals in the AI industry are female, and it appears that this percentage decreases as the rank increases. In my opinion, establishing a supportive network is one of the most effective ways to overcome this. While support can come from individuals of all genders, it can be particularly comforting to connect with other females who have had similar experiences or witnessed similar challenges. This can provide a sense of belonging and community.
In addition, it’s important to reflect on where to best invest one’s energy. Lasting change will only occur when more females are in higher levels of management and leadership roles. This cannot happen if all of a woman’s energy is directed at rectifying the system rather than advancing her own career. A balance must be struck between advocating for change and focusing on one’s own day-to-day tasks.
Do you have any advice for females who are considering a career in AI?
The field of AI is vast and dynamic, with so much happening. Nonetheless, there’s also an incredible amount of distracting noise, such as the constant release of papers, products, and models. It’s virtually impossible to keep up with everything. Moreover, not every paper or research finding will have a lasting impact, regardless of how impressive the press release is. I would advice those interested to identify a specific area that genuinely interests them, fully understand it, and resolve the issues that motivate them. This will provide the robust foundation necessary for success.
What are some of the most pressing issues facing AI as it evolves?
Progress in the past 15 years has been fast, and we’ve seen AI move out of the lab and into products without really having stepped back to properly assess the situation and anticipate the consequences. One example that comes to mind is how much of our voice and language technology performs better in English than other languages. That’s not to say that researchers have ignored other languages. Significant effort has been put into non-English language technology. Yet, the unintended consequence of better English language technology means that we’re building and rolling out technology that doesn’t serve everyone equally.
What are some issues AI users should be aware of?
I think people should be aware that AI isn’t a silver bullet that’ll solve all problems in the next few years. It can be quick to build an impressive demo but takes a lot of dedicated effort to build an AI system that consistently works well. We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that AI is designed and built by humans, for humans.
What is the best way to responsibly build AI?
When it comes to developing AI in a responsible manner, it’s vital to incorporate a variety of perspectives from the inception of the process, which should definitely include the viewpoints of customers and all others who could be affected by your product. It’s also crucial to thoroughly put your systems to the test to ensure their functionality across a broad range of situations. While testing might not be as exciting as creating new algorithms, it’s the only way to certify if your product actually works. Additionally, being honest and transparent with both yourself and your customers about what your system can and can’t do is essential to prevent misuse.
How can investors better push for responsible AI?
Given that startups are at the forefront of developing numerous fresh applications of AI, investors too bear the responsibility of conscientiously selecting what they choose to invest in. It would be encouraging to see more investors expressing their vision for the kind of future we are aiming to build and how the ethical creation of AI plays a part in this.
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