Computer Says Maybe Abeba Birhane: Computer Says MozFest
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Dec 15, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Abeba Birhane, a cognitive scientist and AI ethics advocate, reveals her experience with last-minute censorship at the UN AI for Good Summit. She shares how she managed to maintain some critical points during her constrained talk, which sparked intrigue among journalists. At MozFest, she delivered her full, uncensored keynote, diving into the implications of AI on social injustices and highlighting the necessity for political will over technology alone. Abeba also offers insightful mentorship advice for future social-science technologists.
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Last-Minute UN Censorship
- Abeba Birhane was invited to give a keynote at the UN AI for Good Summit and expected critical engagement from organizers.
- Two and a half hours before the talk she was summoned and told to censor slides and remove references to Palestine and sponsors.
High-Level Push To Remove 'Genocide'
- UN officials, including the ITU deputy secretary, demanded removal of Palestine, Gaza, Israel mentions and the word "genocide."
- They also demanded removal of Big Tech logos tied to the criticisms in her slides.
Industry Capture Shapes UN Events
- The AI for Good Summit is heavily industry-funded and mirrors big ML conferences in tone and sponsorship.
- This sponsorship skews the event toward corporate narratives and away from critical voices.