Meet the Women Shaping Responsible AI - From Community Questions to Global Impact: Dr. Elizabeth Adams’ Evolution in Responsible AI Leadership
A decade-long journey from curious researcher to internationally recognized AI ethics leader, exploring how academic rigor meets real-world implementation in the fight for responsible artificial intelligence.
Sometimes the most profound journeys begin with the simplest questions. For Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams, CEO of EMA Advisory Services, Minnesota Responsible AI Institute, and a leading voice in responsible AI, that journey started ten years ago with a fundamental curiosity: why were AI systems producing biased outputs?
What began as academic inquiry has evolved into a global movement, recently culminating in her recognition as a She Shapes AI Awards winner in Thought Leadership and an invitation to speak at the United Nations. But perhaps more importantly, it has transformed how organizations worldwide approach AI integration, moving beyond technical implementation to embrace ethical, inclusive, and sustainable artificial intelligence.
The Honor of Recognition and Its Ripple Effects
"It was an incredible honor," Dr. Adams reflects on receiving the She Shapes AI Award. "Sometimes working in the ethics space or responsible AI space feels like a thankless job." The recognition validated not just her individual work, but acknowledged the broader community of women who have been advocating for ethical AI development long before it became a mainstream concern.
The award's impact was immediate and far-reaching. Within months, Dr. Adams received an invitation to serve as a visiting scholar at Umeå University in Sweden, an opportunity that would reshape her understanding of international collaboration in AI ethics.
Learning Global Collaboration and Launching the Minnesota Responsible AI Institute
The six-week residency at Umeå University's AI policy lab provided more than academic exchange; it offered a masterclass in collaborative culture. "I had the opportunity to really learn about not just the culture of Sweden, but the culture of how the AI policy lab gathers, collaborates, and what that looks like," she explains.
The experience was transformative, demonstrating how universities can integrate seamlessly with their surrounding ecosystems of museums, communities, and commerce. This holistic approach to knowledge sharing would directly influence Dr. Adams' next major initiative.
Inspired by her Swedish experience, Dr. Adams launched the Minnesota Responsible AI Institute as "a discovery and exploration hub for people around the world to come for a bit and think about how AI is shaping their part of the world."
The Institute addresses a critical gap she observed in the AI implementation landscape. "People kind of rush with fear and urgency to either deploy AI or design AI, or they're afraid that their employees are not adopting it fast enough," she notes. The Institute's approach is deliberately different, offering five frameworks that guide organizations through AI integration and organizational readiness, ensuring their values remain central to how they use AI.
What sets the Institute apart is its unique focus on connecting responsible AI to workforce development, sustainability, and economic success. "As far as I know, that hasn't been done around the world," Dr. Adams observes. This comprehensive approach addresses seven of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating how ethical AI implementation can drive broader social and economic progress.
From the United Nations to Main Street
The Institute's innovative approach quickly gained international attention, leading to an invitation to speak at the United Nations, a milestone that underscores the global relevance of Dr. Adams' work. But she's equally passionate about bringing responsible AI principles to everyday business operations.
"I'd love for people to connect using AI in business to how it can be used outside of business, but to think about all the responsible ways," she explains. This philosophy drives her evolution from traditional governance-focused consulting to what she describes as helping people "use AI mindfully and responsibly in their everyday work."
One of Dr. Adams' most significant insights involves expanding responsible AI conversations beyond technical teams. "If I'm stuck with the technical team thinking about model cards and how their models are being trained, then there's usually about 70% of the organization that's missed."
Her current work focuses on marketing teams, product management, accounting, and legal departments, ensuring that responsible AI principles permeate entire organizations rather than remaining siloed in technical departments. "We create a space for curiosity and discovery and exploration, safe spaces for leaders to share what it is that they're most interested in and how they want to be a part of shaping their organization's future with AI."
The Academic-Practitioner Balance
Dr. Adams' journey reflects a thoughtful evolution from purely academic research toward practical implementation. Her doctoral work in "Leadership of Responsible AI Employee Stakeholder Participation" emerged from observations about community members who lacked pathways to participate in AI governance discussions.
"These very intelligent contributors in society had all of this knowledge about AI in their own lives. How might that benefit an organization?" she wondered. This question drove her academic research, which has now informed her practical consulting work.
While her recent focus has shifted toward meeting organizations "where they are," she emphasizes that academic research remains "very, very relevant." The key is responding to what the ecosystem needs: "Right now people are really interested in how – how do I do these things? How do I integrate? How do I prepare my organization for this?"
A Philosophy of Accessible AI Leadership
For those interested in entering the AI leadership space, Dr. Adams offers refreshingly practical advice: "Find a problem or an opportunity that is very close to you, or that you're passionate about."
Whether in fashion, health care, marine biology, or any other field, AI is impacting every industry. "Start there and follow your curiosity," she suggests. "Maybe you want to speak about it. Maybe you want to teach. Maybe you want to get your hands dirty and start coding. There's no right or wrong way to enter the space."
This accessibility-focused approach reflects her broader philosophy about AI democratization. Just as she advocates for including all organizational departments in AI ethics conversations, she believes AI leadership should be open to diverse backgrounds and approaches.
Breaking Down Barriers to AI Engagement
Dr. Adams recognizes that fear and urgency often prevent meaningful AI engagement. "AI is presenting us all an opportunity to kind of level the playing field," she notes. "Where someone 10 years ago might not have had access to certain information, now with AI they can start ideating."
She's particularly enthusiastic about AI tools that offer educational pathways, citing Copilot as an example of how responsible AI tools can provide links for further research and exploration. "We need more people to start using it because once more people start using it, then the messaging around urgency and fear will look different because more people have experience with it."
The conversation naturally turns to one of AI's most persistent challenges: bias. Dr. Adams connects this directly to participation and representation. This insight drives both her academic research on stakeholder participation and her practical work in organizational AI integration. By ensuring diverse voices are included in AI development and deployment decisions, organizations can create more equitable and effective AI systems.
The Ripple Effect of Recognition and A Vision for Inclusive AI Leadership
Looking back on her She Shapes AI Award experience, Dr. Adams sees it as more than individual recognition. It's validation for an entire community of practitioners working often thankless jobs in AI ethics. The award created opportunities for collaboration, international exchange, and ultimately, greater impact.
The trajectory from award recognition to UN speaking engagement to launching a global institute demonstrates how individual recognition can catalyze broader change. But perhaps more importantly, it shows how academic rigor combined with practical application can address some of AI's most pressing challenges.
Dr. Adams' story embodies a vision of AI leadership that is accessible, inclusive, and grounded in real-world impact. Her journey from asking simple questions about AI bias to developing frameworks used by organizations worldwide demonstrates that AI leadership can emerge from curiosity rather than just technical expertise.
Her emphasis on meeting people where they are – whether organizations rushing to implement AI or individuals fearful of being left behind – reflects a leadership philosophy focused on inclusion rather than exclusion. By creating "safe spaces for leaders to share what they're most interested in," she's building a more diverse and effective AI leadership community.
The Power of Collective Action
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Dr. Adams' work demonstrates the importance of thoughtful, inclusive approaches to AI integration. Her frameworks connecting responsible AI to workforce development and economic success provide practical pathways for organizations seeking to leverage AI while maintaining their values.
The Minnesota Responsible AI Institute represents more than just another research center. It's a model for how academic research, practical implementation, and global collaboration can address AI's challenges and opportunities. By focusing on discovery and exploration rather than fear and urgency, it creates space for the kind of thoughtful AI development our world needs.
Dr. Adams' evolution from curious researcher to global AI leader offers inspiration for anyone seeking to enter the AI space. Her message is clear: start with what matters to you, follow your curiosity, and don't be afraid to ask questions. In a field often dominated by technical complexity and corporate interests, her approach demonstrates that ethical AI leadership can emerge from anywhere, and that inclusive, values-driven AI development isn't just possible, it's essential.
Through her work, Dr. Elizabeth Adams proves that sometimes the most important AI innovations aren't technological – they're human. By focusing on participation, inclusion, and ethical implementation, she's helping ensure that AI serves not just efficiency and profit, but human flourishing and social progress.
Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams was an inaugural winner of the She Shapes AI Awards. Learn more about her work and the Minnesota Responsible AI Institute at EMA Advisory Services.
