Shedding Light on Misrepresentation: Blanca Burch’s Mission in the AI World
A Unique Beginning
Blanca Burch’s journey began in Milwaukee, where she attended an immersion school that blended French and English. This bilingual education not only fostered her linguistic skills but also inspired a burgeoning curiosity about different cultures and global perspectives. As a child, this unique upbringing opened her eyes to diverse communities beyond her neighborhood, setting the stage for her future endeavors.
The Shift in Academic Focus
Upon enrolling at Spelman College, one of the nation’s premier historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Burch initially pursued a psychology major. However, her fascination with East Asian studies, particularly Japan, led her to switch to international relations. With a year of Japanese language study under her belt, this pivot felt both exciting and relevant, aligning her academic interests with her global outlook.
Exploring Innovation at Spelman
During her junior year at Spelman, Burch took a transformative course at the Arthur M. Blank Spelman Innovation Lab. This makerspace encourages creative inquiry and experimental learning across disciplines like art, science, technology, and engineering. Here, Burch found a fertile ground for her artistic aspirations, utilizing cutting-edge technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
In 2020, she channeled her experience into launching Culturally Kreative, a publishing company focused on AR/VR children’s books. Its inaugural title, “Who Has Hair Like Mine,” celebrates the diversity of Black hair through innovative storytelling.
From Education to Empowerment at Microsoft
After graduating from Spelman in 2022, Burch secured a position at Microsoft’s Atlanta office as a lab manager for its makerspace. In this role, she aimed to empower both the local community and Microsoft employees to harness AI technologies effectively, particularly tools like Copilot.
It was during this time that Burch became aware of the significant gaps in AI’s understanding of Black hairstyles. She noticed discrepancies in how AI interpreted various styles, especially intricate braided hairstyles, which were often inaccurately represented.
Researching Representation: “In the Context of Curls”
These observations led Burch to embark on an ambitious project titled “In the Context of Curls.” The study aims to train AI models to accurately depict textured and braided hairstyles. Over the course of her research, Burch generated more than 600 images of diverse hairstyles and narrowed them down for surveys that engaged participants in evaluating the accuracy of AI-generated representations.
To determine accuracy, Burch operates on a simple metric: if 51% of respondents concur on an AI-generated hairstyle’s fidelity, then it is deemed accurate. Her target is to analyze responses from at least 200 participants by the end of 2026, signaling a proactive approach to gathering community feedback.
A Call for Community Engagement
Burch emphasizes the need for diverse voices in the tech space, arguing that representation matters in every facet of life, particularly as AI technologies become more integrated into our daily experiences. Through her research, she seeks to empower consumers and creators alike, urging them to provide feedback on these evolving technologies during their formative stages.
Her desire is clear: to raise awareness about the importance of accurate representation within AI tools. Burch believes that educating both researchers and users will foster a more inclusive tech landscape.
Hands-On Learning: Workshops at Spelman
Beyond her research, Burch is committed to providing hands-on learning opportunities at Spelman’s Innovation Lab. Her initiatives aim to ensure that students, faculty, and staff gain fluency in AI tools and ethical considerations while exploring how these technologies can be utilized in their respective fields.
She has conducted a range of workshops covering topics such as “Prompting Power: AI at Your Fingertips,” “Safely Engaging with AI,” and “Prototyping Your App or Website in Minutes,” offering a comprehensive array of skills aimed at demystifying AI for the Spelman community.
Through her multifaceted approach—ranging from impactful research to practical workshops—Blanca Burch is paving the way for a more accurate and inclusive representation of Black culture in the rapidly evolving realm of artificial intelligence.
