Anna Makanju is shaping the future of artificial intelligence. As a global policy leader, advocate for AI regulation, and the vice president of global affairs at OpenAI, there’s no doubt that Makanju is leaving her mark on the field, but like so many other diverse figures in technology, her story was missing from Wikipedia – that is, until just a few months ago, when two students at North Carolina Central University decided to remedy this gap.
“As someone deeply invested in the evolution of AI in education and training, I was thrilled to learn about Anna Makanju, an African woman shaping the AI industry,” explained educational technology student Lauren Love. “Since minorities are often underrepresented in computer science and artificial intelligence, our objective for creating this article was to highlight her impactful contributions and inspire awareness of her influence on the AI tools many use today.”
With a shared interest in adding representation to Wikipedia, information science student Katrina Powell teamed up with classmate Love to bring Makanju’s article to the encyclopedia.
“Lauren and I chose Anna Makanju because first and foremost, she’s a woman leader and second, we believe it’s crucial to increase representation of women in STEM fields on Wikipedia,” said Powell. “As a woman of color in STEM, we were particularly drawn to Anna’s story – her experiences navigating a male-dominated field and her commitment to ethical AI resonated with us. We hope that by sharing her story, we can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable online encyclopedia.”
The student pair, who worked closely to divide the workload and find high-quality sources for the new article, underscored the challenges posed by Wikipedia’s notability threshold for publishing new biographies.
“I enjoyed delving into research to uncover Makanju’s diverse experiences and contributions,” said Love. “Refining the article to align with Wikipedia’s standards was also a rewarding challenge that pushed me to improve my writing. Ensuring alignment with their guidelines was definitely the toughest part.”
For both Love and Powell, the Wikipedia assignment offered the opportunity to give readers insight into the ongoing work to address ethical implications of emerging technologies, including Makanju’s efforts in shaping AI regulations to maximize societal benefit while minimizing risk. Powell, interested in pursuing a career in AI governance like Makanju’s, stressed the power of Wikipedia in raising awareness of underrepresented yet notable individuals.
“Before the assignment, I had no clue who Anna Makanju was, I had never even heard her name before,” explained Powell. “It was great learning about her background and the work she is doing in the tech field. I was deeply inspired.”
Similarly inspired by Makanju’s journey and professional impact, Love also appreciated the opportunity to sharpen her skills for a future career in learning and development and instructional design.
“Unlike traditional research or discussion boards that may lack engagement, this project allowed me to explore a topic of personal interest while refining critical skills such as creativity, collaboration, and effective communication,” said Love. “[It] enhanced my research and written communication skills, particularly in presenting diverse perspectives with neutrality.”
Powell’s and Love’s work on Wikipedia is part of a larger Wiki Education initiative sponsored by the Broadcom Foundation, which supports the creation of new biographies of diverse people in STEM on Wikipedia.
“It is critical for young women and people of color to see themselves as powerful AI leaders like Anna Makanju. The future of AI is here, and they can shape it to reflect their unique knowledge and achievements,” noted Paula Golden, President of Broadcom Foundation.
While their coursework on Wikipedia is now complete, both Love and Powell expressed plans to continue editing and improving the online encyclopedia into the future, finding the experience both fun and rewarding.
“It was a proud moment once the article was published,” said Powell. “It felt great to be part of history!”
Interested in incorporating a Wikipedia assignment into your course? Visit teach.wikiedu.org to learn more about the free resources, digital tools, and staff support that Wiki Education offers to postsecondary instructors in the United States and Canada.
