Beyond the compliance checklist: the real value of ethical AI

Key insights from my conversation with Gabriela Del Barco-Renard

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Gabriela Del Barco-Renard, a brilliant DE&I consultant specialising in responsible AI, for our latest Insight Connect episode. We discussed "How ethical AI can redefine the role of global businesses," and I walked away deeply inspired by the richness of her perspective. She argues that beyond the necessary safeguarding and risk mitigation, businesses have a vital role in ensuring AI acts as an enhancer of equality, proactively expanding access and empowering communities that have traditionally faced structural barriers.

The technical and cultural biaises 

During our chat, Gabriela beautifully articulated that AI is not just a technical system, it is a socio-technical one. It learns from data generated by our society, which inherently carries our historical biases, inequalities, and power dynamics. We discussed the phenomenon of the "Western Gaze" dominating AI models because they are trained primarily on Internet data from the US and Western Europe. This WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic) perspective often leads to flattened, stereotypical outputs that misrepresent underrepresented cultures. 

Conversely, regional models (such as LATMGPT) are trained on local data, languages (including indigenous ones), and contexts. As a consequence, they provide greater cultural nuance and relevance. As both types of models progress in silos, this poses the question of how we can achieve meaningful interoperability while preserving contextual richness.

An opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration

To try and bridge the gap, Gabriela believes we must invite non-technical experts like social scientists and DE&I professionals into the AI development and deployment process. Because technical teams naturally prioritise system efficiency and accuracy, we must actively bring diverse perspectives into the room to evaluate the human impact and ask: who might this technology exclude or harm?

Gabriela shared a striking example of a healthcare algorithm that systematically underestimated the medical needs of black patients because it equated health needs with healthcare spending, a flawed proxy due to historically unequal access. 

Conversely, when companies embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, they create products that are robust, trusted, and inclusive. Adobe is a great example of this. When they developed their Firefly model (a text to image generator), they included product equity and legal teams alongside engineers.

AI doesn’t exist in a vacuum

One of the most critical takeaways for me is that AI is entering a world and workplaces that are already unequal. While AI has the potential to act as an incredible equaliser for less-skilled workers, it can just as easily widen existing disparities if we aren't deliberate in our implementation. For instance, without equitable access to digital literacy and critical thinking skills, marginalised groups are at risk of being left behind when it comes to more complex tasks. Even within organisations, structural barriers persist. Gabriela highlighted that women globally are 20% less likely to use AI tools, often due to workplace cultures and a fear of being perceived as less competent. Businesses (global and local) have the opportunity to actively intervene by investing in equitable upskilling across all job levels (not just for senior leadership), and fostering genuine psychological safety so employees can experiment without fear.

What tomorrow can look like

Looking to the future, organisations face a choice. Instead of treating responsible AI as a mere compliance tick-box exercise, Gabriela advocates for a scenario where businesses view ethical, inclusive AI as a core source of value and competitive advantage. By committing to participatory approaches that include the voices of diverse communities, companies can build systems that people truly trust.

AI is the latest revolution in our world, and it is entirely up to us to intentionally design how it shapes our reality. Businesses who move beyond basic governance, and actively use AI as a tool to bridge societal gaps, empowering everyone to thrive.