How to Build Feminist AI?

In January 2025, we facilitated an interactive workshop on feminist approaches to artificial intelligence for Instituto Estatal de las Mujeres de Nuevo León, Mexico. The session combined presentation with real-time audience participation through polls and surveys. The workshop explored how artificial intelligence can be reimagined from feminist perspectives, challenging traditional approaches to AI development.

We discussed three fundamental elements that need to be reconsidered:
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1. Purpose - Centering AI development on the real needs of historically excluded communities rather than technological capabilities
2. Data stories - Moving beyond numbers to recognize that data represents lived experiences that deserve respect and dignity, integrating diverse experiences and ancestral knowledge
3. Algorithm design - Creating systems that respect diversity, promote privacy and social justice, and mitigate digital violence

Workshop participants actively engaged through polls, revealing that 79% of attendees had never participated in designing or developing AI tools. When asked about effective approaches to creating feminist AI, a significant majority (47%) preferred models where communities identify problems and co-design solutions with technical teams. Through collaborative discussion, we explored key principles for feminist AI, including transparency, community control, continuous feedback, and cultural adaptability. The workshop emphasized that AI should respond to community needs rather than the other way around. The event concluded with audience questions about accessible AI learning resources and how to promote responsible AI use, reinforcing our commitment to creating spaces for critical thinking about technology, empowerment and access to it, and its repercussions.