AI and Racial Justice: Navigating the Dual Impact on Marginalized Communities

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect those of any affiliated organization or otherwise.

Without intentional, ethical oversight, the data and algorithms behind AI risk repeating patterns of exclusion, discrimination, and bias.Imagine artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful force, sweeping through our world like an unseen wind, reshaping industries, and influencing lives in ways both visible and hidden. It reaches into healthcare, finance, justice, education, and public policy, promising to streamline and elevate. But with each step it takes, AI can also carry the heavy weight of past injustices, embedding historical inequities into the future it is helping to build.

For communities of color already marginalized by these systems, AI’s potential for progress is shadowed by the risk of repeating harm. Without intentional, ethical oversight, the data and algorithms behind AI risk repeating patterns of exclusion, discrimination, and bias.

Nonprofit leaders are the voices that can hold AI accountable, making it a tool that heals rather than harms, that liberates rather than limits. This endeavor demands bold vision, fearless commitment, and empathy—so that AI transforms into a tool for empowerment rather than a quiet force perpetuating inequity.

Recognizing AI’s Silent Harms

AI systems are increasingly making decisions that affect people’s lives, often without their knowledge. Consider the decisions made by an AI hiring tool Amazon used in 2015 that screened out female applicants, or the data patterns of ChatGPT 3.5 that favored names on resumes associated with White identities over those associated with Black identities.

Facial recognition technology…struggles to accurately identify Black and Brown faces.

These aren’t mere technical quirks; they are echoes of a history where access, opportunity, and dignity were often reserved for some while denied to others. Nonprofit leaders dedicated to social justice know that AI’s power to shape lives will further entrench the biases we’ve fought for generations to dismantle if left unchallenged. This is not only a technical challenge but a profound ethical one, calling for those with the courage to speak for those silenced by design.

Today, AI shapes who receives a loan, who gets a job interview, and who is marked for police surveillance. When AI relies on historical data without scrutiny, it absorbs and amplifies the very biases that have marred the past, placing BIPOC communities at higher risk of harm.

Take facial recognition technology, for instance. Developed using data that rarely represent humans’ full diversity, this technology struggles to accurately identify Black and Brown faces. The consequences are severe: wrongful arrests, reinforced racial profiling, and unjust surveillance of already vulnerable communities. For individuals subjected to this flawed technology, these errors aren’t simply mistakes; they are evidence that their safety and humanity have been overlooked. In this context, nonprofit leaders are more than advocates—they are guardians of fairness, charged with protecting communities from the harms of biased technology.

In finance, AI algorithms present yet another barrier, making decisions that affect financial opportunities, creditworthiness, and generational wealth. Imagine entire neighborhoods, once redlined and systematically denied opportunity, now being neglected again by algorithms that equate zip codes with financial risk. This isn’t just a denial of financial services; it’s a denial of possibility, locking communities into cycles of poverty and keeping doors closed to upward mobility. Nonprofits serving these communities are vital allies in highlighting and challenging the often hidden biases that prevent progress.

Carving a Path Forward: Using AI for Equity, Not Entrenchment

Despite these risks, AI holds extraordinary potential to serve as a tool for justice if wielded with care, integrity, and vision. Imagine an AI that doesn’t blindly replicate patterns of exclusion but instead reveals them—an AI that illuminates inequities, empowers advocacy, and supports more targeted interventions. It can become a tool that “listens” to communities; recognizes the places where health, housing, and financial services are lacking; and helps organizations address these needs.

An AI that serves all people equitably must be rooted in diverse, representative data reflecting the real lives of all communities, not just a privileged few. Moreover, the journey of building AI must include the perspectives of those directly affected by it, grounding it in empathy and awareness. Here, nonprofit leaders can be the bridge, ensuring that technology amplifies marginalized voices and fosters innovation that truly serves.

Transforming AI into a force for equity requires action—not just awareness. Nonprofit leaders can lead this transformation through the following strategies:

• Diverse, Inclusive Data: AI’s fairness is only as robust as the data it learns from. Nonprofits must advocate for data that reflect the full diversity of the communities they serve, breaking the narrow perspectives that often skew AI’s “learning.” This work calls for courage—to demand that marginalized experiences, histories, and identities are not only included but valued. With diverse data, AI can begin making fairer decisions that truly reflect the needs of all communities.
• Transparency and Accountability: Trust in AI hinges on transparency. Nonprofits can champion processes to audit AI systems, demanding developers disclose training data sources and algorithms. Communities deserve the power to question and understand the decisions that affect their lives. This transparency isn’t a luxury; it’s a right and a safeguard against the unseen harm of unchecked technology.
• Community-Centered Development: For AI to serve its intended communities, their voices must shape it at every stage. Nonprofits can ensure that community leaders, activists, and end users are involved throughout, aligning AI solutions with real needs and aspirations. These communities’ insights and lived experiences are not only relevant—they’re essential.
• Ethics Review Boards: Companies developing AI should include ethics boards staffed with diverse perspectives, such as racial justice advocates and ethicists. Nonprofits can advocate for these review boards, providing the oversight needed to address potential biases and societal impacts. Modeled after academic Institutional Review Boards, these boards serve as a checkpoint, preventing discriminatory outcomes and prioritizing accountability over profit.
• Robust Regulatory Frameworks: Nonprofit leaders are critical in shaping AI policy, championing frameworks that set ethical standards and mandate regular bias audits, fair-practice certifications, and consequences for discriminatory outcomes. These policies, crafted with input from affected communities, can protect vulnerable populations and ensure AI serves everyone fairly.

Immediate Steps for Nonprofit Leaders Committed to Justice 

Here are immediate steps nonprofit leaders can take to help mitigate AI biases and ensure technology aligns with their missions for social equity:

• Educate and Train Staff: Raise awareness within your organization, equipping staff to recognize and address bias in the tools they use.
• Collaborate with AI Ethics Experts: Partner with organizations specializing in AI ethics to audit and enhance AI tools in nonprofit operations, ensuring they uphold ethical standards. Become a member of Algorithmic Justice League or AI4ALL, both of which work on policy reforms related to AI fairness and transparency.
• Advocate for Inclusive AI Policies: Engage in policy discussions that prioritize equity in AI, safeguarding fair and just development.
• Implement Bias Audits: Regularly review the AI systems in use, identifying and mitigating biases to ensure fair treatment for all communities served. Use IBM’s AI Fairness 360 Toolkit, an open-source tool that evaluates models for bias across various use cases and provides insights on how to address those biases.

These actions equip nonprofit leaders to confront AI biases with purpose, opening pathways toward genuine advancements in fairness and inclusivity. By taking these steps, nonprofits not only shield communities from potential harm but also help lay the foundation for a technology landscape that reflects and respects all voices.

A Vision for an Equitable AI Future

As AI becomes embedded in the fabric of society, the stakes for marginalized communities are profound. Without careful guidance, algorithmic systems risk perpetuating the very inequities they should address. But with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and justice, nonprofit leaders can ensure that AI becomes a tool for positive change.

With this vision, AI can reflect our best ideals, striving toward a future where technology amplifies, rather than erases, the experiences of all. By embracing this call to lead, nonprofit leaders can create a future where AI prioritizes justice, honors humanity, and serves as a beacon for inclusivity. This is a journey of courage, resilience, and hope—a path forward in which AI advances not only technology but the rights and dignity of all communities.