Corporate America has failed to embrace DEI. An AI chatbot could be part of the solution

Jeffrey Bowman’s Reframe consultancy is using artificial intelligence to help with engaging employees with diversity programming or making a budget for DEI work

With its focus on remedying historical and economic inequities, DEI has become an unassailable component of American life. The ideological framework – more formally known as diversity, equity and inclusion – is now a standard element of how businesses are run and students are taught. (It’s also become a weaponized term, as was the case when a New York Post column said that Kamala Harris would be a “DEI president”.)

Nearly $350bn flowed into DEI and racial justice initiatives during the two years following the 2020 murder George Floyd, according to a report by McKinsey. The DEI industry – mostly consultants whose work focuses on helping organizations review and revise their spending, recruiting and hiring practices – is worth close to $10bn. But over the past few years, DEI programs have been dramatically downsized. Universities such as Harvard and MIT are now scrapping mandatory DEI statements and companies ranging from Nordstrom to Salesforce are slashing related budgets and staffing targets.

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