CATHERINE YEO
UNITED STATES, 19
Project: Fair Bytes
Basic Human Needs: Education
As long as she can remember, Catherine has been passionate about computer science. When she came across a powerful, premiere text-generating AI online, she immediately noticed that it contained extreme gender biases. Upon further research, she learned there were a variety of extremely prevalent ethical issues in AI technologies. In May 2020, Catherine began publishing articles online breaking down reputable AI ethics papers and concepts in simple wording that anyone could understand. Many readers reached out to her, from students to senior professionals in several fields, eager to learn more. Catherine then decided to extend her publication into Fair Bytes – a global network advancing AI fairness and ethics for all through education, resources and community. Fair Bytes shares short, understandable pieces explaining AI ethics concepts and research, from both technical and societal perspectives. They also create, collect and provide relevant resources including courses, workshops, curricula, and AI ethics resources for educators and schools. Catherine built a growing community of diverse, inspired individuals interested in AI ethics. Since its launch in 2020, Fair Bytes has reached 25,000+ individuals worldwide. In 2021, they plan to officially launch AI ethics curricula in schools, create content across a variety of media and establish global chapters around the world. Catherine is in her third year at Harvard University studying Computer Science and English, aspiring to become an entrepreneur who creates products and tools using technology to bring people together, not apart.