AI for Equity

Jenny and Leah Garrett
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Technology
  • Weekly

AI for Equity is the intergenerational podcast where technology meets justice. Co-hosted by Leah-Sunshine Garrett and Jenny Garrett OBE, we explore how artificial intelligence can be used to drive equity and inclusion - rather than deepen existing inequalities. Each episode features thought-provoking conversations with innovators, researchers, and change-makers working at the intersection of AI and social justice. Whether we're unpacking algorithmic bias, discussing inclusive design, or spotlighting grassroots solutions, AI for Equity challenge Contact : AiForEquity@outlook.com

  1. Nov 4

    What Happens When AI Only Knows Western Food?

    Many AI models are built with Western food in mind, so what happens when you show one a plate of Ghanaian food? Leah and Jenny sit down with Silas Bempong, an AI engineer in Ghana, to find out. Silas left a stable job as a data scientist in banking because he wanted to work with the latest technology. His work now centres on an AI model that analyses a photo of a meal and gives nutritional insights, which came out of a partnership with the Noguchi Memorial Institute. Traditional dietary assessment is expensive because a dietitian has to follow someone around and measure every ingredient in their food. Silas’s team wanted people to be able to take a photo instead. Then there was the challenge of Ghanaian dishes, where it is hard for a model to tell where the rice ends and the beans begin. Silas talks about adapting the technology for local food, how multimodal AI improved its accuracy, and who gets left out when AI isn’t built with Africa in mind. In this episode: Why Silas left banking to work in AIHow a photo of a meal can give nutritional insightsWhy Ghanaian food is so difficult for AI to readWhat multimodal AI is and how it helpedWhy AI needs to be built for local contextsGet the book:Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573 Come to a launch:Manchester, Tue 10 Nov, The Portico Library: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-for-equity-who-is-it-actually-built-for-tickets-2000640564785London, Thu 12 Nov, University of Westminster: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-for-equity-book-launch-london-tickets-1997144173986Accra, 22 to 28 Nov, and the San Francisco Bay Area, 15 to 19 Mar 2027. All tour dates: https://jennygarrett.global/ai-for-equity/ Want to be a guest? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDrKnarbBmYZFUueLBsPlpRGArBwOA5pxUeENCtrKnMYbS2g/viewform?usp=headerPartners and sponsors: aiforequity@outlook.co.uk #AIforEquity #ResponsibleAI #AIinAfrica #AIPodcast

    What Happens When AI Only Knows Western Food?

  2. Oct 28

    Our online book launch, in full!

    AI for Equity is out. This episode is the full recording of our online launch on publication day, 27 October 2026, with Jenny Garrett OBE and Leah Garrett, hosted by Erica Farmer. The book is AI for Equity: Creating a More Equitable Society for All. It looks at who AI is being built for, who gets left out, and what it would take to build it differently. If you missed the launch, this is the whole thing, as it happened. Thank you to Erica for hosting us, and to the twelve people whose stories and work run through this book: Dr Mona Ashok, Christian Ortiz, Jazz Rasool, Sumathi Menon, Dan Gallagher, Twan Wildeboer, Keshav Malhotra, Dr Pauldy Otermans, Sam Samarasinghe, Anna Jones, Rodney A. Brown and Finbar O’Hanlon. And thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. We could not have done it without you. Get the book:Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573 Come to a launch:Manchester, Tue 10 Nov, The Portico Library: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-for-equity-who-is-it-actually-built-for-tickets-2000640564785London, Thu 12 Nov, University of Westminster: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-for-equity-book-launch-london-tickets-1997144173986Accra, 22 to 28 Nov, and the San Francisco Bay Area, 15 to 19 Mar 2027. All tour dates: https://jennygarrett.global/ai-for-equity/ Want to be a guest? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDrKnarbBmYZFUueLBsPlpRGArBwOA5pxUeENCtrKnMYbS2g/viewform?usp=header Partners and sponsors: aiforequity@outlook.co.uk #AIforEquity #ResponsibleAI #AIEthics #BookLaunch

    Our online book launch, in full!

  3. Oct 21

    Buzzing and a Bit Scared: Taking Our Book on Tour

    The book is out next week, and the tour starts the same day. In this episode Leah and Jenny talk about how it feels to send AI for Equity out into the world, with stops in Manchester, London, Accra and San Francisco, plus an online launch anyone can join from wherever they are. Leah is a little bit scared and very excited, and has never been to the US before. Jenny talks about the fear of being judged and why, if the book helps one person, it has done its job. They also get into why doing it together makes it easier, why the London launch means so much with friends, family and contributors in the room, and how holding the finished copy has settled the nerves.

    Buzzing and a Bit Scared: Taking Our Book on Tour

  4. Oct 14

    From Podcast to Publisher: The Story Behind Our Book

    The book episode. Jenny and Leah share the full story of writing AI for Equity: how the idea grew out of the podcast, what the proposal process actually involved, the day the deal came through, the self-doubt in the middle, and the reader they each kept in mind while writing. In this episode: From podcast to book deal: how it happenedWhat goes into a book proposalWriting to a deadline while running everything elseWho we wrote the book for, and why that matteredAI for Equity is out 27 October 2026. Pre-order now:Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571 Book tour dates and tickets: https://jennygarrett.global/ai-for-equity/ Want to be a guest? Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDrKnarbBmYZFUueLBsPlpRGArBwOA5pxUeENCtrKnMYbS2g/viewform?usp=headerPartnerships: aiforequity@outlook.co.uk

  5. Sep 30

    The Most Human Thing About AI Turned Out to Be the Conversation (Live)

    Recorded live, this episode is a letter to our Series 1 selves. Jenny and Leah look back at what they thought the podcast was for when they started, the questions they were too polite to ask, the episode they'd re-record, and what it's actually like working together as mother and daughter. Along the way they get to the moment the conversation itself became the learning, which is where the title of their book comes from. AI for Equity, the book, is out on 27 October. The episode ends with one line of advice each for anyone sitting at their own Series 1, about to start something they don't feel ready for.

    The Most Human Thing About AI Turned Out to Be the Conversation (Live)

  6. Sep 23

    What makes us tick? Staying human in the age of AI

    What makes us tick? In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, how do we hold on to the essence of being human? In this episode, Leah Garrett and Jenny Garrett OBE are joined by Fabiola Williams for a conversation about technology and human emotion. Fabiola reflects on how AI interacts with our emotional wellbeing, reminding us that AI is one big part of many things, alongside growing up, illness, disability and loss. Together they explore how young professionals can support themselves in an ever-changing world of work, why we should question AI outputs rather than trust them blindly, and why sense-making is slow, iterative work that can't be done alone. 📖 Our book, AI for Equity: Creating a More Equitable Society for All, is out on 27 October with Emerald Publishing. Pre-order your copy now: Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571 Want to be a guest on AI for Equity? Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDrKnarbBmYZFUueLBsPlpRGArBwOA5pxUeENCtrKnMYbS2g/viewform?usp=header

    What makes us tick? Staying human in the age of AI

  7. Sep 16

    AI Isn't New, You Are: 30 Years Inside the Machine with Dr Salim Sheikh

    AI didn't arrive three years ago. It's been decades in the making, and Dr Salim Sheikh has been there for most of it. Salim has worked in AI and software engineering for over 30 years, starting in the 1990s when the field was still largely academic. In this episode he joins Jenny Garrett OBE and Leah Garrett to unpack the real history behind today's AI boom, why the pandemic accelerated adoption faster than anyone expected, and why AI literacy is the skill we all need now. We also get into the balancing act at the heart of it all: keeping technology as the facilitator and human creativity, wellbeing and decision-making as the driving force. As Salim puts it, AI should amplify human potential, not replace it. 📚 Our book AI for Equity (Emerald Publishing) is out 27 October 2026. Pre-order now:Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571 Want to be a guest or partner with us? Email aiforequity@outlook.co.uk Follow us: @leahsrg and @coachjennygarrett

    AI Isn't New, You Are: 30 Years Inside the Machine with Dr Salim Sheikh

  8. Sep 9

    When AI saves you time, where does it go? (with Rachel Seftel)

    When AI saves you time, where does that time actually go? In this episode, Leah and Jenny talk to Rachel Seftel, Head of Research and Impact at the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Rachel is the first to admit she's no tech enthusiast. She got into AI for one reason: she hates wasted time. That led to the RachelBot, her personal experiment in automating everything from scheduling appointments to checking her son's homework. But this conversation goes far beyond personal productivity. Rachel shares findings from the Foundation's research with over 3,000 women entrepreneurs, almost all of whom were balancing their businesses with caregiving. The headline finding: when AI saves women time, that time doesn't automatically become free time or growth time. It gets reabsorbed into everything that was already waiting for them. We also dig into why adoption numbers can be misleading. AI use among women entrepreneurs jumped from 38% to 82% in a year, but Rachel argues the more important question is whether that use is meaningful, sustained and actually changes the fundamentals of a business. 📚 Our book, AI for Equity (Emerald Publishing), is out on 27 October 2026. Pre-order your copy now:Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AI-Equity-Creating-Equitable-Society/dp/1837428573Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ai-for-equity/jenny-garrett/leah-sunshine-garrett/9781837428571Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ai-for-equity-creating-a-more-equitable-society-for-all-jenny-obe-garrett/586c7c50e50b5e55?ean=9781837428571 Want to be a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDrKnarbBmYZFUueLBsPlpRGArBwOA5pxUeENCtrKnMYbS2g/viewform?usp=headerGet in touch: aiforequity@outlook.co.uk

    When AI saves you time, where does it go? (with Rachel Seftel)
See All (51)

About

AI for Equity is the intergenerational podcast where technology meets justice. Co-hosted by Leah-Sunshine Garrett and Jenny Garrett OBE, we explore how artificial intelligence can be used to drive equity and inclusion - rather than deepen existing inequalities. Each episode features thought-provoking conversations with innovators, researchers, and change-makers working at the intersection of AI and social justice. Whether we're unpacking algorithmic bias, discussing inclusive design, or spotlighting grassroots solutions, AI for Equity challenge Contact : AiForEquity@outlook.com

Information

  • Creator
    Jenny and Leah Garrett
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jenny and Leah Garrett
  • Show Website
    AI for Equity