TheAssociation Announcements: February 2024

Dear Members,

As we step into the heart of February, it’s with immense pride and gratitude that we reflect on the remarkable progress and achievements we’ve made together as a community. From new feature drops to captivating webinars and thought-provoking discussions, February has been nothing short of transformative for TheAssociation.

We’re thrilled to announce that TheAssociation has experienced extraordinary growth, with a staggering 504% increase since our MVP launch on October 1st, 2023. Today, our membership includes employees from 301 companies and continues to grow with each passing day. This remarkable growth underscores the invaluable contributions of each and every one of you in shaping the future of AI.

In line with our commitment to innovation, we’re excited to unveil several new features designed to enrich your experience within our community:

• Members-Only Marketplaces: Explore exclusive opportunities and connect with fellow members in our new marketplaces. We have launched the beta versions of 1 of 3 planned marketplaces.
• Job’s Marketplace v1: Discover a diverse range of job opportunities sourced from our community. We are in discussions with multiple sponsors and Talent Acquisition companies to be the hiring hub. Why go anywhere else when you can find the best talent, referrals, and jobs right in TheAssociation.
• Talent Referral Program:  Do you have the inside track to rockstar?  Our Talent referral program not only helps that individual find a job, but you get $$$$ for doing so.   If we are able to place your referral in a position you earn $5,000 dollars, the easiest money I know of.  You can find the terms and conditions in the marketplace
• Logo Carousel: With our skyrocketing growth, we now have members from over 301 companies in TheAssociation.  Showcase your company’s logo and celebrate your involvement in shaping the AI landscape.
• TheAssociation Calendar:  A mix of TheAssociation members-only, industry and chapter events. Be sure to check the calendar for the opportunity to engage, learn, and network! If you have events you would like added, please contact Tara Rowell.

On February 21st, we kicked off our inaugural webinar series with a captivating session on “Leadership in a World of Ethical Enterprise AI” hosted by our lovely Seattle Chapter Lead, Erika Springer of Salesforce and guests Dr. Sandeep Krishnamurthy – the Singelyn Family Dean at Cal Poly Pomona, Ruchi Arora – Data and Analytics Leader at Starbucks and and Henry Orlando Clavo – Data Engineer at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  This insightful webinar explored the nuances of leadership in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, providing invaluable insights for leaders at every level.

We also premiered our much-anticipated podcast series, Beyond Binary, with a thought-provoking discussion between Jesse Butler and I on “The Philosophical Parallels in AI” on February 22nd.

Be sure to tune in this week, on February 29th, as Peggy Tsai and guest Dr. Michael Proksch explore “AI Value Creation and Strategies” – be sure to register for this informative Beyond Binary session.

Stay tuned for more captivating episodes as we delve deeper into the intersection of AI and humanity.

At TheAssociation, we understand the critical importance of ethics and policy in shaping the future of AI. That’s why we’re proud to have announced the formation of our Ethics & Policy, Data AI Trust Advisory Board (Data-B) in February! I couldn’t be more thrilled, or awww’d at the depth of experience, or passion this team has.  A huge thank you to Anne Flanagan, Bill Anderson, Brandon Swinford, Gladwin Mendez, Jim Goldman, Lara Gureje, Meenu Howland, and Morgan Templar for joining us on this crucial journey. With their expertise and insights, I’m confident in our ability to establish robust, clear, ethical processes and technical implementation standards that guide the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.

🌐 State of AI in Healthcare

In addition, TheAssociation launced our very first Industry Working Group in February!  We choose Ethical AI in Healthcare as our first focus area. In the realm of healthcare, AI has emerged as a transformative force, promising advancements that can revolutionize patient care, alleviate physician burden, and optimize healthcare delivery.

Yet, alongside its potential benefits, AI introduces a commensurate level of risk, necessitating a thoughtful approach to its implementation.

Our AI in Healthcare Working Group will bring together the Healthcare stakeholders like Patients, Physicians/Caregivers, OEMs/Vendors and Information Technology to holistically approach the opportunity, and the risks.

We will focus on ethical guidelines, policy frameworks, and clear technical implementation requirements that ensure a Responsible AI approach and use.

We will provide a cohesive approach that integrates strategy, patient and provider benefits and rights, risk tolerance, and ethical considerations into decision-making through the:

1. Alignment of AI to Corporate Strategy
2. Creation of Governance Boards
3. Assessments
4. Inventories
5. Training
6. AI Submission and Approval Process
7. AI Monitoring and Change Management
8. A Culture of Responsible AI

🤝 Join Us in Shaping the Future of AI in Healthcare

The Ethical AI in Healthcare working group is not just a forum for discussion; it’s a foundation for building processes and frameworks that will shape all of our Ethics & Policy efforts going forward.  We will use this initiation focal group to address critical aspects such as issue intake, change management, decision-making, content management, publications, and much more. Building a global civic governance function is no easy task, but with our group of experts and your help, we are confident in our ability to succeed.

To holistically approach the complexity of data, infrastructure, risks, regulations,  trust and opportunities we will be creating a modal governance design based on function (discipline-focused like AI, Data, Privacy, Security, or Robotics), Industry and Topical Working Groups that will cross-functions but go deep in particular industries, and a Ethics & Policy Council.  This council will be the decisioning body, that ratifiies cross-functional and cross-industry processes and implementation standards.

Responsible AI requires you to be actively involved.  If you have a interest in the Healthcare Working Group, a industry subcommittee, a discipline committee or the Ethics & Policy Council contactus@theassociation.ai.

If you share our passion for shaping a future where AI serves humanity ethically and responsibly, we invite you to take action today.

We are looking for help in the following areas: Social Media Campaigns on X, YouTube and Discord.  A University Engagement Manager to help build University, and Student relationships.

Together, let’s harness the power of AI for the greater good and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Wendy