Dr. Girmaw Abebe Tadesse is a Principal Research Scientist and Manager at Microsoft's AI for Good Research Lab, where he leads the Africa team in developing AI solutions for agriculture, healthcare, biodiversity, and more. He collaborates with a diverse range of partners, including governments, non-profits, academic institutions, and startups. He holds over 20 U.S. patents, and his work has received Best Paper Awards at conferences, been published in leading journals such as Nature, and featured by media outlets including the BBC. He is an active program committee member and speaker at global AI conferences, including ICLR 2023 (Kigali), ICLR 2024 (Vienna), IJCAI 2024 (Jeju), and ICCV 2024 (Paris). He previously worked as a Staff Research Scientist at IBM Research Africa and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford. He earned his PhD from Queen Mary University of London through the Erasmus Mundus Double Doctorate Program.
Joan Kinyua is a Digital Rights Activist and the founding President of the Data Labelers Association of Kenya (DLA), a grassroots organization advocating for the rights and well-being of workers behind AI systems. She is committed to advancing fairness, transparency, and ethical practices in AI development. Through her work with DLA, Joan champions the protection of digital workers, pushes for inclusive and accountable AI policies, and brings visibility to the critical labor powering AI. By combining strategic advocacy and collective action, she ensures that marginalized voices shape the future of technology and labor justice. The Data Labelers Association (DLA) is a worker-led organization formed by data annotators in Kenya in response to poor working conditions and systemic neglect. DLA advocates for labor rights, better working conditions, and increased recognition of the critical role data workers play in the AI industry.
Panelists
