As a Future(s) researcher, I've tracked the systematic dismantling of DEI initiatives throughout 2024, with the final signals becoming unmistakable by September. This shift, intertwined with broader societal patterns (including what I call the "angry white frat boy demographic" - a phenomenon I'll explore more deeply in 2025), has implications far beyond organizational charts.
The story that concerns me isn't about program closures - it's about the blind spots we're building into tomorrow's technology. A recent University of Washington study revealed AI resume screeners favoring white-associated names 85% of the time over equally qualified candidates. This follows a pattern we've seen before, from self-driving cars struggling to detect darker-skinned pedestrians to language
models perpetuating societal biases.
These aren't coding flaws -they're mirrors reflecting who's in the room when these systems are developed.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives, today's oversights
become tomorrow's systemic challenges.
The parallel between ourcurrent technological crossroads and education's post-COVID challenge is illuminating. Education leaders are proposing an innovative solution: a "Bridge Year" between traditional middle and high school - not as remediation but as foundation-building for future success. Think of it as installing an essential operating system upgrade rather than a simple patch.
Similarly, in technology and business, we need to view this moment not as a winterization but as an investment infoundational infrastructure. Just as that bridge year could produce more capable, well-rounded students, taking time now to build diverse perspective-gathering into our technological development process could prevent decades of compounded bias in our AI systems.
This isn't about slowing down- it's about building better launchpads for innovation. The question isn't whether we can afford to take this time; it's whether we can afford not to, knowing that today's oversights become tomorrow's systemic challenges.
Considerhow your organization might'......
....Create cross-functional advisory boards that draw from different departments, hierarchical levels, and external stakeholders.
....Identify areas where upskilling or perspective-broadening could strengthen personal development or team capabilities and innovation potential
....Build flexible feedback mechanisms that connect internal expertise with external market insights
....Develop collaborative spaces where diverse viewpoints naturally emerge
through project work rather than formal programs
These operational adjustmentsdon't require massive organizational restructuring or dedicated DEI budgets. Instead, they represent strategic ways to weave diverse perspective-gathering into your existing business processes.
Whether you're a startup finding your footing, a mid-sized company adapting to change, or an enterprise rethinking your approach, futures thinking methodologies can help you navigate this transition while maintaining - and even enhancing - your innovative potential.
The future of inclusive innovation isn't about preserving old structures but about evolving our operational approach to meet tomorrow's challenges.
Be Well,
Rich
