At TalentNomics India’s 10th Annual Global Leadership Conference, held under the theme “Power. Pixel. Parity: Equity in the Age of Automation”, veteran technology leader Manoj Chugh delivered a forceful address urging industry, policymakers, and society to confront the biases embedded in today’s artificial intelligence systems.
Also read: AI Is the New Electricity – CP Gurnani Calls for Responsible, Bias-Free Systems
Speaking to an audience of leaders, policymakers, and emerging women professionals, Chugh cautioned against assuming that AI systems are neutral or objective. “You can talk to the AI. It might give a biased response,” he said. He added that bias is not accidental, noting that “the algorithms are written by a very small, narrow slice of humanity.”
Chugh argued that the real work of shaping AI does not happen only in research labs or in lines of code. Instead, he said, it is driven by human choices and societal structures that inform how AI systems behave. “Do you know that the most powerful code is not being written in Python or X, Y, or Z? The most powerful code is being written through our actions,” he said. He went on to ask, “What are the actions that we are taking? Who are we hiring? Who are we motivating? Whose data are we collecting? Whose biases are we challenging? Whose stories are we including?”
According to Chugh, these choices collectively determine the fairness, or unfairness, of automated systems. “The code for AI is not being written in the lab. It is being written through actions. And we all must get together and make sure that we are taking the right actions.” We are writing the right code.”
Chugh’s message centered on the need for equity, dignity, and opportunity, especially for women and girls who continue to face systemic barriers in technology and leadership. Calling for proactive efforts to create a more representative and inclusive digital ecosystem, he urged the audience: “Rewrite the code, for the sake of fairness. For the sake of dignity. For the sake of opportunity. For every girl and every woman who deserves a seat at the table and a stake in the future.” He stressed that without intentional action, AI could deepen existing inequalities rather than bridge them. “If we are not taking those actions, we will not create the equitable world that we are looking for,” he warned.
Chugh closed his address on a hopeful note, emphasizing that the next generation of leaders has the power to shape a more just technological future. “We have a huge opportunity of making a difference. We can create a digital universe where every pixel shines with the clarity of parity,” he said. “I do hope that you are the generation which is going to help humanity think deeper.”
