IMAGES (Inclusive Machine learning system using Art and culture for tackling Gender and Ethnicity Stereotypes) is a Project of Relevant National Interest (PRIN) by Sapienza University of Rome and CNR-ISCT, funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU within Mission 4 – Component 2 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The project is situated at the intersection of three fields of study: gender studies, artificial intelligence studies, and art and cultural studies.

IMAGES has a dual objective: to address the issue of inclusivity and accessibility in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, with the aim of mitigating gender and ethnic bias; and to use databases of artworks, queried by ML systems, as a tool to promote sensitivity and awareness of gender equity, cultural diversity, and social inclusion.

By analyzing ML/AI systems from the perspective of gender and ethnic studies, the project aims to investigate all three levels that constitute a truly inclusive ML/AI system – the data used for training, the teams working on the algorithms, and the users of the designed services – through an intersectional, pluralistic, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral approach. Ultimately, the project will promote inclusion and diversity (in terms of attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions) in the ML/AI workforce, in cultural institutions, and in society as a whole, contributing through art and culture to reducing harmful stereotypes, combating systemic discrimination, and fostering the values and representations needed for inclusive and equitable societies.