At Diplomatic Watch Magazine, we spotlight trailblazers shaping global narratives. Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo, a Nigerian-American, and Fellow in the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, exemplifies this ethos. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University, her groundbreaking work intersects AI (Artificial Intelligence) governance, policy, and human-centered solutions for underserved communities. Recognized by TIME as one of 2024’s 100 most influential figures in AI, Dr. Okolo has advised on the African Union AI Continental Strategy and contributed to Nigeria’s National AI Strategy. In this Young and Diplomatic feature, she reflects on her journey, perspectives on bridging global technology gaps, and vision for AI’s equitable future.
Dr. Okolo, can you tell us what first sparked your interest in both AI and international policy? Was there a particular moment or experience that shaped your path?
During my senior year of undergraduate studies, I worked on a Senior Project that addressed bias issues within a facial detection module embedded in an eye-tracking system developed by my professor who was advising my project. Around that time, Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru released their influential research detailing the issues of racial and gender bias in facial recognition systems, which heavily influenced my thinking about the societal impacts of AI.
From there, I began to pursue various research projects that examined how AI impacts marginalized communities, and my dissertation research focused on how community healthcare workers in rural India perceive and value AI. I expanded my research to also understand the limitations of responsible AI in African and Global Majority (Global South) contexts, which influenced my interest in policy. Near the end of my PhD, I began realizing that discourse on AI regulation was emerging domestically (in the United States) and internationally. I wanted to leverage my skillset to inform future regulatory efforts in this space. It’s often rare to find people with PhDs in Computer Science or AI working in policy, and with the rising number of “AI experts,” our voices are needed now more than ever.

Being named one of the world’s most influential people in AI by TIME is an extraordinary achievement. What does this recognition mean to you personally and for your work in the field of AI policy?
I’m grateful for receiving this recognition from TIME just a year after finishing my PhD. I still consider myself quite early in my career because I’ve been a student nearly all my life, and knowing that my work has a global impact lets me know I’m on the right track. I look forward to continue researching timely issues in AI and working towards a future that ensures all Africans can benefit equitably from these technologies.
You recently completed your Ph.D. in Computer Science at Cornell University. What were the most valuable insights from your academic journey that now guide your approach to advising global AI policy?
While living in Upstate New York for five years could often be dreary because of the extreme weather, I enjoyed my time as a PhD student at Cornell. Throughout my PhD journey, I participated in many conferences, programs, and extracurricular activities, all of which positively enhanced my graduate experience and research. Most of all, I learned that it is important to integrate an interdisciplinary approach and global mindset when approaching tough problems, which is still very relevant to my work today at Brookings.

How did you become involved with national and international initiatives like the Nigerian National AI Strategy and the African Union AI Continental Strategy? What were some memorable challenges or successes you faced in these roles?
During the 4th year of my PhD, I found that the African Union was working on developing a continental AI policy and reached out to the head of the initiative, who graciously brought me on board. For that work, I traveled to Kigali, Addis Ababa, and Nairobi, and it greatly influenced my transition to working on AI policy at Brookings, one of the world’s most influential think tanks. While there have been many issues with a lack of coordination from the AU regarding the AU-AI Continental Strategy, I’m proud that my work influenced the strategy released in August 2024.
Additionally, I’m even more proud that I’ve been able to work with the Nigerian government to advance AI governance priorities. I was fortunate to meet Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, at the inaugural AI Safety Summit in November 2023. From there, his team invited me to serve as a reviewer for a grant program funding Nigerian researchers to pursue AI projects, along with serving on the drafting committee for the Nigerian National AI Strategy.
As an advisor for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in AI, what are some of the most pressing concerns these countries face with emerging technologies? How do you think these challenges differ from those in more developed nations?
Many LMICs have to balance their respective interest in leveraging AI technologies with addressing basic socio-economic development challenges in healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Many of these challenges prevent these countries from being able to contribute equitably to AI development and even leveraging these technologies. Additionally, as we consider how AI technologies should be governed, many LMICs don’t have the technical capacity within their respective governments to draft comprehensive AI legislation.
While countries like the U.S. also experience healthcare, education, and infrastructure challenges, they’ve still been able to lead in AI development, with nearly all of the top AI companies, OpenAI, Meta, Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA originating within the States. Multilateral entities like the European Union have also leveraged their strong government capacity to draft and enact influential legislation such as GDPR and the EU AI Act.


You serve as a policy advisor to a variety of global organizations—from governments to multilateral institutions. What have you found most effective in aligning diverse stakeholder interests in AI and technology policy?
In my perspective, ensuring that diverse viewpoints are well-represented in AI and technology policy helps greatly with aligning stakeholder interests. Additionally, knowing that, at the end of the day, stakeholders want AI to work fairly and responsibly ensures that we all have a common goal. From there, it’s essential to respect the knowledge that stakeholders from less dominant countries contribute to conversations and work collaboratively to ensure that outputs from stakeholder deliberations are representative of the intended goals.
AI safety is a key concern as advanced AI continues to evolve. In your view, what are the most critical measures the international community should prioritize to ensure responsible AI development?
AI safety has been quite a nuanced term over the past few years, especially with the split discourse from the “AI doomers” who have perpetuated exaggerated claims on the existential risks of AI and stakeholders who have presented a more realistic view of the harms of AI, which I align more with. I believe a lack of focus on how AI risks occur in non-Western contexts is strongly missing from current efforts focused on addressing AI safety.
For example, thousands of research articles have focused on racial bias, which in some ways is helpful in understanding how AI can harm minoritized populations outside of Western countries like the United States, Germany, and Canada. However, in countries like Nigeria, India, and Indonesia, the concept of “race” translates quite differently, and other aspects of identity, like tribe, caste, and religion, play a much more significant factor in the daily lived experiences of communities within this region. As AI systems are rapidly adopted in the Majority World, the international community must prioritize these concerns to advance responsible AI development.

You’ve managed to bridge technical expertise with policy-making at a very high level. What advice would you offer to young technologists who hope to follow a similar path and influence global policy?
Fortunately, there are so many paths technologists can take to influence policy, whether at the domestic or global level. I encourage those with technical expertise to reflect on any challenges they’ve personally faced in interacting with, designing, or building technologies and then conduct literature reviews, browse search engines, and talk with their family members, friends, or colleagues to understand how these challenges could be addressed by policy analysis and reform. In the digital age, so many hard problems have not been fully addressed because of the technical skill set gap often experienced in policy settings, and technologists can help lead this change.
The realm of tech diplomacy is growing, yet it’s still relatively new. Where do you see it going in the next decade?
Given my work in adjacent fields, I love the idea of tech diplomacy and have recently been intrigued by the concept of AI diplomacy. Over the next few years, I foresee governments, particularly those in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere, beginning to focus on enhancing the technical skill set of their policymakers (by encouraging technologists to join government and providing upskilling opportunities for incumbent policymakers) and expanding their digital ministries. This will ensure governments can rely on local expertise to drive and shape technology regulatory efforts. We may also see more countries start rolling out ministerial positions and departments specifically dedicated to AI, such as the United Arab Emirates, which introduced the world’s first AI minister in 2017.

Finally, as someone inspiring the next generation, what do you hope young people in technology and policy take away from your journey and your work in AI? What mindset or principles have been essential for your success?
I hope young people in technology and policy understand that there are a variety of career tracks for those interested in careers at the intersection of these fields. While it’s common for people with my background to either begin careers as professors or industry researchers at top tech companies, I decided to pursue AI policy research at a think tank because I noticed an opportunity to broaden discourse on under looked topics. My willingness to embrace new experiences and knowledge has led me to pursue diverse endeavors, including conducting dissertation field research in India, undertaking business courses during my PhD, and traveling to nearly 40 countries. More importantly, I work hard to lead with integrity in my research and advocacy, which is essential because of the influence that my work has.