Tech is Choosing AI Over Humans, US Healthcare Isn't Read for a Surge of Seniors with Disabilities, & Bad-Faith "Reverse Discrimination" Claims Hurt the US Economy

DEI practitioners, please join us on Wednesday, January 31st, as we discuss the changes we're seeing in the DEI space, our experiences as we navigate those changes, how we're feeling about being in this space, and what we think the future of DEI will look like.

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Note: This roundtable discussion is not intended to be an informational session about DEI or how to transition into this work.

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Today’s DEI News👇🏾

• The tech sector is pouring billions of dollars into AI. But it keeps laying off humans

• U.S. healthcare isn’t ready for a surge of seniors with disabilities

• Bad-faith reverse-discrimination claims hurt America’s economic future and global standing

• In Seattle, the Black Legacy Homeowners Network wants to help fulfill MLK Jr.’s ‘dream’

• As diversity, equity and inclusion comes under legal attack, companies quietly alter their programs

  Read time: 5 minutes

The tech sector is pouring billions of dollars into AI. But it keeps laying off humans

Summary: In the tech sector, a wave of job cuts has begun in the early weeks of 2024, coinciding with increased investments in artificial intelligence (AI). While concerns about AI displacing workers have been prevalent, not all recent layoffs are directly tied to AI replacing employees. However, many companies are justifying layoffs by citing their investments in AI as a reason for resource reallocation. This ongoing workforce upheaval within the tech industry, despite being at the forefront of AI development, may signal future unrest as AI continues to reshape the broader business landscape.

The Details:

• Varied Layoffs: Major tech companies, including Google and Amazon, have announced significant layoffs in various business divisions. These layoffs come after both companies had previously disclosed substantial investments in AI through ventures like Anthropic. Additionally, Discord, Unity Software, and Duolingo have also initiated workforce reductions.

• High Layoff Numbers: In the first two weeks of 2024 alone, over 5,500 tech employees have lost their jobs. This follows a challenging period for the tech industry, which saw hundreds of thousands of layoffs due to shifts in pandemic-induced demand. In 2023, there were approximately 262,682 tech industry layoffs, following 164,969 layoffs in the previous year.

• AI as a Factor: Many tech firms are attempting to address overhiring during the pandemic and broader economic uncertainty by citing AI as a reason for layoffs. Companies like Chegg, IBM, Dropbox, Duolingo, and even Google have used AI investments as a justification for reducing their workforces. AI's impact on the job market is still evolving, with predictions of both job displacement and the creation of new roles.

Why is this relevant: This situation underscores the complex relationship between AI, job security, and the tech industry. As AI technology advances, it has the potential to disrupt existing job roles, which could lead to social and economic challenges. The layoffs also raise concerns about disparities in their impact on employees with less represented identities, prompting labor advocates and lawmakers to scrutinize these issues. The evolving landscape of AI and employment highlights the need for thoughtful workforce planning and support mechanisms as industries adapt to new technologies.

U.S. healthcare isn’t ready for a surge of seniors with disabilities

Summary: The aging population in the United States, particularly the baby boomer generation, is expected to lead to a significant increase in the number of older adults with disabilities in the coming decades. However, the country's healthcare system is ill-prepared to meet their specific needs, as highlighted by shortcomings revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health are now addressing these issues through initiatives aimed at improving access to medical treatments, equipment, and research for people with disabilities, including older adults. These efforts seek to make healthcare more equitable and effective for this vulnerable population.

The Details:

• Growing Population of Older Adults with Disabilities: The number of older adults facing difficulties with walking, seeing, hearing, memory, cognition, and daily tasks is set to increase significantly due to the aging baby boomer generation.

• Inadequate Healthcare System: The healthcare system lacks readiness to cater to the specific needs of this growing population, as seen during the pandemic when older adults with disabilities struggled to access treatments and faced higher mortality rates.

• Initiatives to Address the Issue: The Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health are taking steps to improve access to medical treatments, equipment, and research for people with disabilities, including older adults..

Why is this relevant: The increasing number of older adults with disabilities poses a significant challenge to the healthcare system in the United States. Addressing the needs of this population, combating biases among healthcare providers, and improving accessibility are essential for ensuring equitable healthcare for all. Initiatives from government agencies aim to rectify these issues and promote inclusivity, research, and better healthcare outcomes for older adults with disabilities.

Bad-faith reverse-discrimination claims hurt America’s economic future and global standing

Summary: America's history is marred by racial discrimination, and its lasting impact continues to affect the nation's economic, political, legal, and education systems. This article underscores the need to address these ongoing racial disparities.

The Details:

• Historical Injustices: From slavery to the Jim Crow South, redlining to the destruction of Black Wall Street, America has profited from Black labor while denying Black prosperity.

• Financial Inequality: The wealth gap between white and Black families is substantial, with white families holding 10 times more wealth, and Black individuals controlling less than half of one percent of capital in America.

• Systemic Barriers: Ongoing barriers include a criminal justice system with five times higher Black incarceration rates and societal bias reducing Black presence in corporate leadership.

Why is this relevant: Here it is emphasized that ignoring these racial inequities perpetuates systemic issues. Addressing these disparities necessitates interventions targeting social determinants of health affecting Black communities. Understanding and mitigating these inequities is crucial for fostering a more just and prosperous nation for all.

• In Seattle, the Black Legacy Homeowners Network wants to help fulfill MLK Jr.’s ‘dream’ [The Seattle Times]

• Black Girls Code founder embarks on Black Innovation District project in Memphis [WREG]

• Proposed law would ban the controversial practice of isolation as punishment in Washington schools [The Spokesman Review]

• As diversity, equity and inclusion comes under legal attack, companies quietly alter their programs [AP News]

• 3 Essential Strategies For Business Leaders To Combat The War On DEI [Forbes]

• Black Americans still more likely to die from cancer [UPI]

• 10 Key Programs On DEI For Business Leaders At The World Economic Forum [Forbes]

• Impact Now: $25,000 Environmental Protection Agency Grant Supports Public Health Professor’s Radon Awareness and Remediation Efforts [Muhlenberg College]

• 2024’s Essential Reads: Books By Trailblazing Black Women In Tech [POCIT]

• Championing women at The National Museum of Women in the Arts [Blooloop]

• Nigerian leader says 'massive education' of youth will help end kidnappings threatening the capital [ABC]

• Indiana bill aims to protect special education students [953mnc]

• Maine schools get funding to boost climate education [Maine Public]

• A Qualitative Analysis of the Barriers to Healthcare and Education for Adolescent Girls in Tanzania [Cureus]