EqualVoice Summit sheds light on the gender visibility gap in media & AI
For the third time, speakers and executives from international companies gathered in Zurich on Tuesday for the EqualVoice Summit to work together to advance gender equality. The main focus was on the role of diversity in AI. Among others, former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Hollywood director Marc Forster advocated for gender equality in the media, the digital world, and beyond.
Out of old role models, into a fairer future. The 3rd EqualVoice Summit under the motto "Gender Visibility Gap in Media & AI" was all about visibility and gender diversity in the context of artificial intelligence. Around 250 top executives from the international business, film and media world came together for the summit.
At the invitation of Ringier CEO Marc Walder and Annabella Bassler, CFO of the Ringier Group and initiator of the EqualVoice initiative, the executives discussed presence and gender diversity in conjunction with artificial intelligence at the Aura in Zurich.
"The EqualVoice Summit theme 'Gender Visibility Gap in Media & AI' is timely and essential. AI learns from the data we feed it, which means that the stories, images and perspectives highlighted in our media today will influence the AI-driven systems of tomorrow," said Walder at the Summit opening. "At EqualVoice, we are determined to tackle this challenge with a data-driven approach: By capturing and promoting balanced representation in our content, we're working to ensure that AI reflects a world where all voices - regardless of gender, race and socioeconomic background - are equally important."
Hollywood director Marc Forster emphasized the seriousness of the multifaceted topic: "AI systems can reflect or reinforce existing gender prejudices in the data with which they are trained."
And for Carolina Müller-Möhl, Founder and President of the Müller-Möhl Group & Müller-Möhl Foundation, a digital future without women is not only a "missed opportunity", but also an economic risk: "It is high time to break down barriers and develop solutions together to integrate women into the world of technology and enable them to be visible and successful."
Sanna Marin, the former Prime Minister of Finland, spoke at the EqualVoice Summit 2024 about the importance of equality and the technological future of Europe. She emphasized that Europe must strengthen its strategic autonomy and drive technological developments independently in order not to be dependent on external players. Marin emphasized that education, research and innovation are key to not lagging behind the US and China. She also spoke about gender equality issues and the challenges, particularly in relation to violence against women in Finland. She concluded by calling for the hard-won progress and values of equality to be fought for.
In her speech, the former Finnish Prime Minister also called for: "The rights of women and girls should be at the heart of our digital transformation. If artificial intelligence is to serve society as a whole, it must reflect all of us."
New EqualVoice Assistant
The EqualVoice assistant was developed to address the nuances of diversity bias in real-time in articles from Ringier's media brands. The AI solution scans content as it is created, identifies gender imbalances and stereotypes and offers concrete suggestions for improvement. The tool not only tracks mentions of gender, but also understands context and tone, correcting and flagging wording that could subtly reinforce stereotypes. By using this tool, Ringier aims to create a framework for AI-driven editorial processes that prioritize equity and representation. Once fully implemented, the EqualVoice Assistant will be rolled out across Ringier's media brands.
"This tool is not just about recognizing inequalities; it's about fostering a media environment that reflects the true diversity of voices and experiences," explains Annalena Bassler. "We want to empower female storytellers and increase balanced, authentic representation."
Expansion of the EqualVoice factor
The expanded EqualVoice Factor now measures text, images, video and audio and provides a comprehensive view of gender representation across all media formats. 32 national and international media brands in seven countries use the EqualVoice Factor in their daily work to ensure a balanced gender representation in their publications and to improve it where necessary. Non-media companies such as the mobile phone provider Sunrise also use the EqualVoice Factor to analyze their social media channels to ensure a balanced gender presence.
Bias and stereotypes in advertising: challenges and responsibilities of the industry
At the EqualVoice Summit 2024, Dr. Peter Figge, CEO & Co-Owner of the Jung von Matt Group, Sara Spännar, Vice President Marketing at Zalando, and Marc Walder, CEO of Ringier, also discussed how to deal with stereotypes and bias in advertising - a topic that poses new challenges for both companies and agencies.
Sara Spännar from Zalando explained that diversity and inclusion are crucial in Zalando's brand communication. One goal is to be perceived as "welcoming", which is reflected in the selection of diverse influencers and campaigns that include different body sizes, shapes and ethnic backgrounds. This is to ensure that Zalando's broad customer base feels addressed.
Dr. Peter Figge from Jung von Matt reflected on the responsibility of the advertising industry with regard to bias and the influence on social values. He made it clear that advertising often has an aspirational character and sometimes distorts reality in order to make products attractive. Jung von Matt is actively working to promote diversity in the agencies and minimize bias. One example of this is the use of its own AI models, which are developed for clients such as BMW and can be adapted in a controlled manner with regard to bias.
Both representatives emphasized that marketing and advertising should reflect and influence society's expectations of diversity and equality.
Partnership with Microsoft Switzerland and IMD
A white paper on diversity bias through AI, developed by the EqualVoice initiative in collaboration with Microsoft Switzerland and the International Institute for Management Development IMD in Lausanne, was presented at the EqualVoice Summit and met with great interest. The white paper contains new findings on how AI unintentionally reinforces gender and diversity bias.
Cooperation with the HSG
EqualVoice's new partnership with the University of St. Gallen and its Competence Center for Diversity and Inclusion was also presented at the EqualVoice Summit. In collaboration with the HSG Competence Center for Diversity & Inclusion, EqualVoice offers interested companies the EqualVoice Factor as an analysis tool for social media posts and media releases.
