Exploring Black Communities’ Perceptions and Design Approaches for Building Culturally Tailored AI Systems

Historically, racially minoritized communities have been the least prioritized in the design and development of AI systems.As a result of harmful technological tools and the failure to center minoritized communities in the design of various AI systems, Black communities have either adapted existing tools to meet their specific needs or created new tools themselves.While several studies have highlighted the importance of community-based design and its role in shaping how AI systems can be designed for racially minoritized communities, limited research has explored the experiences of Black technologists and developers who create tools centered on the Black experience, as well as the broader perceptions of these tools.Through participatory and community-based approaches, my proposal seeks to understand how Black people are designing culturally tailored tools that reflect their lived experiences while also examining Black community's perceptions of existing culturally tailored tools.