By Mary Mwendwa

Nairobi, Kenya: Mozilla has announced the 25 honorees for The 2nd Annual Rise25 Awards, which will celebrate these individuals for leading the next wave of AI — using philanthropy, collective power, and the principles of open source to make sure the future of AI is responsible, trustworthy, inclusive and centered around human dignity. This year’s cohort will be honored during a special ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, August 13 at the Convention Centre in Dublin, Ireland.

This year’s finalists were selected out of hundreds of nominees across five categories. Five winners were selected for each of the following categories:

Advocates – Guiding AI towards a responsible future
These are the policymakers, activists, and thinkers ensuring AI is developed ethically, inclusively, and transparently. This category also includes those who are adept at translating complex AI concepts for the broader public — including journalists, content creators, and cultural commentators. They champion digital rights and accessible AI, striving to make AI a force for societal good.

Artists – Reimagining AI’s creative potential
Their work provokes thought and offers fresh perspectives on AI through storytelling across various mediums. Their projects challenge perceptions and show how AI can amplify human creativity. Some also use their craft to challenge the current state of AI and engage in conversations about ensuring technology is applied fairly and equitably.

Builders – Developing AI through ethical innovation
They are the architects of trustworthy AI, including engineers and data scientists dedicated to developing AI’s open-source language infrastructure. They focus on technical proficiency and responsible and ethical construction. Their work ensures AI is secure, accessible, and reliable, aiming to create tools that empower and advance society. 

Kathleen Siminyu is one of the finalists from Kenya.

Change Agents – Cultivating inclusive AI
They are challengers that lead the way in diversifying AI, bringing varied community voices into tech. They focus on inclusivity in AI development, ensuring technology serves and represents everyone, especially those historically excluded from the tech narrative. They are community leaders, corporate leaders, activists, and outside-the-box thinkers finding ways to amplify the impacts of AI for marginalized communities. Their work fosters an AI environment of equality and empowerment.

Entrepreneurs – Fueling AI’s evolution with visionary ventures
These daring individuals are transforming imaginative ideas into reality. They’re crafting businesses and solutions with AI to meet societal needs, improve everyday life, and forge new technological paths. They embody innovation, steering startups and projects with a commitment to ethical standards, inclusiveness, and enhancing human welfare through technology.

“At Mozilla, we believe the most groundbreaking innovations arise when people of all kinds of backgrounds come together to collaborate and openly trade ideas,” said Mark Surman, President of Mozilla. “This approach to innovation — grounded in strong pillars of experimentation and community — has defined our work over the past 25 years, fueling global movements around open-source innovation, online privacy, and trustworthy AI.”

This year’s awards build upon the success of last year’s Rise25 Awards which were held in Berlin, Germany, bringing to life what a future trustworthy Internet could look like. Last year’s event crowned trailblazers and visionaries who have since shared their inspiring stories in a video series airing across Mozilla channels.

Story courtesy of Mozilla.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR