Building a clear and shared vision statement for Equitable AI in your organization will act as a guidepost throughout the stages of your implementation effort and beyond. It will reflect your commitment to implementing Equitable AI and reveal what you ultimately hope to accomplish.
Example vision statements addressing Equitable AI include:
Tips to Get Started
- Define the big picture and what success looks like. Conduct a visioning session with key stakeholders to draft a vision for your organization’s future state—when you will have a mature Equitable AI structure in place. Leverage the business case you developed while you explore and define what success looks like. Tell a story of how having Equitable AI might unlock the incredible potential of talent with disabilities and help all workers thrive.
- Gain a shared team commitment. Engage leadership across different departments to provide them with an opportunity to weigh in on the draft vision and agree on the final version, including a definition of success. Be sure to engage departments responsible for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
- Align your vision statement to your organization’s foundational values and culture. This will help integrate the vision into your organizational processes, practices, and methodologies. It will also help establish a shared commitment to achieving success and help you stay on track as you execute the remaining Plays.
- Make your vision statement concise and memorable. Condense your vision statement into a one sentence tagline or rallying cry. Consider developing a symbol or icon to accompany the statement. These elements can help make the vision easy to understand, remember and articulate.
Tips for Ongoing Operations
- Revisit your vision for Equitable AI as your organization evolves and when there are major advances in AI technology that apply to the workplace. AI technologies—and societal expectations surrounding their use—are evolving rapidly. It is wise to revisit your vision for Equitable AI every three to five years, and whenever your organization goes through a major change or develops a new mission and vision.
- Share your vision for Equitable AI frequently in multiple internal channels. This can include sharing the vision as new team members are onboarding, and in employee training.
Guiding Questions
- What are the reasons for launching an Equitable AI operation in your organization?
- Which internal leaders and departments need to be involved in developing and agreeing to the shared vision?
- How is Equitable AI linked to your organization’s foundational values and culture?
- What are the future AI trends that could positively or negatively impact your organization?
- Have you involved staff in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) or Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—including people with disabilities—in the development of your organization’s shared vision?
- What milestones will you put in place to measure success?
- Does your shared vision emphasize balanced collaboration between humans and AI?
Resources
- Accenture, Enabling change for persons with disabilities: Getting To Equal, 2020.
- Ann Skeet & Jim Guszcza, How businesses can create an ethical culture in the age of tech, World Economic Forum, 2020.
