AI is shaping the world faster than we can keep up. But what happens when the technology meant to serve us erases us instead?
My guest today, Christelle Mombo-Zigah, is exposing a critical issue: digital colorism: the biases in AI that distort, misrepresent, and sometimes completely erase people of colour in digital spaces.
Born and raised in France to Congolese parents and now based in Silicon Valley, Christelle is a futurist and problem-solver who believes AI can be a force for good, but only if we address its biases head-on. She founded Digital Colorism, an impact audit that helps businesses identify and fix bias in AI-generated avatars and digital humans.
Through her extensive research and 20+ interviews with AI users, responsible AI advocates, and data governance experts, Christelle uncovered six alarming areas of bias in AI-generated imagery:
✔️ Colorism – Skin tones altered or erased
✔️ Texturism – Natural hair types misrepresented
✔️ Featurism – Facial features distorted
✔️ Ageism – People misportrayed by age
✔️ Sizeism – Body shapes and sizes excluded
✔️ Accessibility – Barriers for marginalised communities
In this conversation, we discuss:
🎙 The real-world consequences of AI reinforcing harmful biases
🎙 How digital colorism connects to historical prejudices, even within communities of colour
🎙 The systemic problems in AI development and what businesses need to do now
🎙 Christelle’s journey as a self-published children’s author and why diverse representation in storytelling matters just as much as in AI.
If you’re an online business owner, coach, or just someone who uses AI in any capacity, this conversation is a must-listen. AI bias isn’t just about technology. It’s about power, representation, and ensuring that no one’s identity is erased.
LINKS:
Christelle Mombo-Zigah
Website
LinkedIn
I’d love to invite you to dive deeper into racial inclusion work by joining me for the next round of my 10 week online program REPRESENTED. Check out all the details and join the waitlist 👉🏾 https://anniegichuru.com/represented
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With Love,
Annie
