Rachel Coldicutt on AI’s Social Impact: A Trailblazer in Responsible Tech
As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and societies, visionary leaders like Rachel Coldicutt are ensuring its development aligns with human values. In this exclusive TechCrunch Women in AI profile, we explore her pioneering work at the intersection of technology and social responsibility.
From Digital Strategy to AI Policy Leadership
Rachel Coldicutt is the founder of Careful Industries, a research organization examining technology’s societal impacts. With clients ranging from Salesforce to the Royal Academy of Engineering, her work bridges industry and policy. Her career trajectory includes:
- CEO of think tank Doteveryone (focused on responsible technology)
- Digital strategy roles at BBC and Royal Opera House
- OBE recipient for contributions to digital technology
- Cambridge University alumna
Breaking Into AI: A Natural Evolution
When asked about her AI journey, Coldicutt reflects:
“I’ve worked with emerging technologies since the 1990s—from Microsoft Encarta to data-driven art installations. The AI tipping point came in 2014 with Google’s DeepMind acquisition, when these technologies captured mainstream attention.”
Her enduring fascination lies in technology’s contradictions: its power to both empower and disrupt, to reveal insights while raising ethical questions.
Career Highlights: Shaping Responsible AI
Pioneering Policy Frameworks
Coldicutt’s work at Doteveryone revolutionized how UK policymakers approach emerging tech. Her team developed the groundbreaking Consequence Scanning tool, now used globally to assess technology’s social and environmental impacts.
The 2023 AI and Society Forum
As governments prioritized industry voices in AI safety discussions, Coldicutt’s Careful Industries convened 150 civil society leaders to advocate for AI that serves 8 billion people—not just 8 billionaires.
Navigating AI’s Gender Gap
With women receiving less than 1% of AI investment funding (per Turing Institute data), Coldicutt addresses the industry’s regression:
“Today’s conference demographics resemble the early 2000s. I’ve built a feminist organization to demonstrate alternative models—where equity drives innovation.”
Advice for Women Entering AI
- Reject limiting stereotypes: Don’t confine yourself to “women’s issues”
- Build support networks: Combat isolation through peer communities
- Hire differently: Challenge industry norms with every recruitment
- Study the pioneers: Learn from researchers like Abeba Birhane and Joy Buolamwini
Critical Challenges in AI Development
1. Democratic Accountability
“We must ask: Can AI serve collective needs rather than concentrating power?”
2. Environmental Costs
Large language models’ energy intensity highlights the need for sustainable alternatives.
3. Military Applications
The tech sector must confront its historical ties to defense and champion community-governed innovation.
Responsible AI: A Framework for Action
Coldicutt advocates for “Just Enough Internet“—technology that:
- Maximizes benefits while minimizing harm
- Recognizes when automation creates value vs. complexity
- Implements continuous risk monitoring (not one-time compliance)
Her team’s CarefulAI process helps organizations align AI with core values through:
- Strategic mapping
- Benefit/harm analysis
- Dynamic risk management
A Call to Investors
Responsible AI requires:
- Patient capital over exponential returns
- Funding diverse founding teams
- Valuing social impact alongside profitability
As Coldicutt concludes: “The question isn’t what AI can do—but what world we choose to build with it.”
