St. Paul native Dr. Elizabeth Adams brings community values to the fight for responsible AI

Artificial intelligence is a topic that, for many, still feels new and unfamiliar. While popular chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude have become among the most common ways the public interacts with AI, many people are surprised to learn that the technology, and even the term “artificial intelligence,” dates back to the 1950s.

Now, as the ways people leverage AI continue to expand, so do questions about its broader impact. The rapid growth of data centers has raised environmental concerns, while the widespread use of AI-powered tools has prompted ongoing conversations about privacy and data security.

“We’ve had phones for years, and companies have been using algorithms for years to determine whether you’re playing a game. We’ve been downloading apps, and we haven’t been reading the data privacy principles or any of that. So we’ve been interacting with this technology for years. We’ve been on social media. The difference now is that more people have access to generative AI,” said Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams, an artificial intelligence leader and author of “In the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Choosing Purpose Before Code.”

Researchers are also beginning to examine how heavy reliance on generative AI may affect learning, memory and critical thinking. A 2025 study from the MIT Media Lab found that participants who relied on ChatGPT for essay writing showed lower neural engagement and weaker memory recall than those who completed the same tasks without AI assistance, raising questions about how the tools should be integrated into education and daily life.

Still, artificial intelligence has created tremendous value. It has been used to increase efficiencies, expand access to information and help organizations accomplish work that might otherwise be too costly or under-resourced. Now, as AI becomes more deeply integrated into society, questions are emerging around not only how to use the technology, but how to use it responsibly.

Adams has dedicated her career to helping answer that question. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “15 AI Ethics Leaders Showing the World the Way of the Future,” she is a leading voice in responsible AI, advising Fortune 500 companies and organizations on the ethical development and implementation of artificial intelligence. Her book is a memoir that encourages readers and leaders to place human values at the center of technological innovation.

Born and raised in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, Adams says her work is rooted deeply in legacy and community.

“I’m a fifth-generation Minnesotan, so we have deep roots,” Adams said. “My great-great-grandfather was the first Black firefighter in St. Paul. In the early 1970s, my mother started a newspaper called the Selby Digest. She’s a daughter of Rondo. I’m a daughter of Rondo. Her goal was to highlight what was happening in the community and make sure merchants and local businesses could reach the people they served.”

Adams has been working in the field of artificial intelligence since before it was widely adopted. About 10 years ago, she was working as a technologist in the Washington, D.C., area, gaining firsthand exposure to emergent technologies, including what is understood today as AI. “We didn’t call it AI then; it was more math and statistics,” she said.

After Adams moved back to Minnesota, she became increasingly aware of how everyday people were engaging with the technology and curious about its ethical implications, including surveillance. “I began to see how it was being used in certain communities, and it wasn’t working for everyone, specifically Black and brown communities,” she said.

Studies have found that facial recognition systems are significantly less accurate for people of color, women and nonbinary individuals. According to the ACLU of Minnesota, a landmark MIT Media Lab study found error rates of 0.8% for light-skinned men compared with 34.7% for darker-skinned women, illustrating how bias in AI systems can produce vastly different outcomes across demographic groups.

Adams’ work did not stop at raising awareness. She took her research directly to policymakers, helping shape how the city of Minneapolis approached the use of artificial intelligence in public safety. After joining the city’s Racial Equity Community Advisory Committee, she began educating city leaders about the risks associated with AI surveillance technologies and worked alongside community members to advocate for stronger protections.

“I started having conversations with policymakers and city council to say, ‘Under all of these decisions, there’s data and algorithms that are being used to make these decisions. And not only that, there’s AI surveillance that is also being used by Minneapolis police,’” Adams recalled.

That work eventually led to a coalition that spent months advocating for more responsible AI policies. In February 2021, the Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance banning the city’s use of facial recognition technology, a milestone Adams views as an opportunity to ensure the technology is developed and deployed responsibly. “The technology just wasn’t ready,” she said. “When you are dealing with responsible AI, everyone needs to come to the table to understand what this tool is to be used for, why you even need it, what the policies and procedures are, and then make sure that it’s being used and monitored for responsible use.”

Adams’ book explores these ideas further. While some might assume “In the Age of Artificial Intelligence” is primarily about AI tools and applications, Adams intentionally chose a different path, writing a lyrical memoir that explores leadership, humanity and purpose alongside one of the most transformative technologies of the era.

“I couldn’t write an AI framework book,” Adams said. “I had built up so much stuff about my own navigating [the field] that I needed to get this out. It’s a lyrical memoir, and a lyrical memoir is more expressive. It’s not chronological. It’s more emotional.”

Inspired by Afrofuturist author Octavia Butler, Adams embraced the idea that people must write themselves into their own stories. For her, that meant refusing to separate her work from her identity. Her experiences as a Black woman from St. Paul, her family’s legacy and her commitment to community are not distractions from her work in artificial intelligence. They are the foundation that gives it meaning.

Through her research, policy work, writing and teaching, Adams continues to create greater awareness, access and opportunity around artificial intelligence. As these technologies continue to reshape how people work, learn and communicate, Adams said they also challenge people to consider what should remain constant: purpose, values and community at the center of how the future gets built.

For more on Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams’ work, visit www.eadams.tech/.

Tiffany Johnson is a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. She welcomes reader responses at tjohnson@spokesman-recorder.com.