Cyprus commissioner warns of AI gender bias — Cyprus Mail
Cyprus Commissioner for Gender Equality Josie Christodoulou said at the Cyprus Forum in Nicosia that artificial intelligence systems are already reproducing human biases and gender stereotypes. She stressed the need to involve women in the design and development of technologies, since AI is influenced by the data used to train models and by the people who create them, Cyprus Mail reports.
Stereotypes in AI training data
During a discussion on artificial intelligence and equal participation, Christodoulou explained that models do not form their assumptions in isolation but learn from materials that may contain entrenched social stereotypes. As an example, she cited a situation in which training texts consistently portray a doctor as a man and a nurse as a woman: in that case, the model will reproduce this assumption.
According to her, the problem is compounded by the underrepresentation of women in the technology and innovation sectors. The people who create new systems influence what these technologies will be like and what experiences they will take into account. Christodoulou believes that opportunities for girls in science should be expanded starting at school so that they can freely choose their education and career path.
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At the same time, she noted that some women enter technology professions but later leave them, including after deciding to start a family. In the commissioner's view, culture and stereotypes influence such expectations from an early age. She stated that women must not only be present in the sector but also take part in decisions on the development and use of the latest technologies.
Risks for children online
The forum also discussed the impact of AI on children. Rodoula Papalamvrianou, scientific coordinator at Hope For Children CRC Policy Center, focused on the use of artificial intelligence for online violence, including the creation of sexualized images using deepfake technology and their distribution on social media.
She noted that the response should not be limited to either banning technologies or giving children unrestricted access to them. In her view, young people should understand how such tools work and critically assess the information they see or receive. Papalamvrianou also stressed the need for a coordinated approach to digital literacy in education and human oversight of technologies, especially to protect vulnerable children.
