Source: UN News: Monday, July 20, 2026 00:00 AM
Engineer Nia Jeter developed spacecraft and robots for two decades. Now she is busy making Artificial Intelligence (AI) accessible to everyone, so that no one is left behind in this technological revolution. Nia Jeter, who grew up in New Jersey, had a keen interest in science since childhood. Instead of spending the 25 cent coins she got from her grandfather on sweets, she would save them to buy batteries and bulbs so she could make electrical circuits from things found in the neighborhood. Her father would take her to the library for the necessary materials. At the same time, his mother, a kindergarten and special education teacher, taught him to explain complex things in a simple way. Three decades later, his same curiosity led him to the creation of the GPS satellite system, on which much of the world depends today. He worked at NASA, Boeing and Raytheon. Subsequently, she held the position of Senior Principal Technologist of Robotics AI at Amazon, one of the company’s highest technical positions and only a few engineers worldwide hold. Then, having reached the pinnacle of her career, she chose a new path. “I studied artificial intelligence when it wasn’t as popular as it is today,” she said. A turning point: Jeter studied mathematics and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in planetary science. Subsequently, she received a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University. She then spent 20 years developing automated algorithms for spacecraft and robots and reached the top of her field. But one question continued to bother him. He said, “This is a very important time for the world, because AI is shaping our society and society is also deciding the direction of AI. If all the necessary voices are not included in the process of developing it, then the technology ultimately created will not be the best for the global community.” This thinking changed the direction of his life. She decided to use her experience to ensure that no one is left behind in the world of AI. © ThinqueBytes Students in Ghana are working together on an AI project in collaboration with the non-governmental organization ThinqueBytes. His non-profit organization thinqueBytes was started with the same thinking – Right for all. Initially it was his personal project, which he developed over five years. It later became part of the ‘Distinguished Minds Institute’. The aim of the organization is to bring artificial intelligence and STEM education to communities who have long lacked adequate opportunities in the technical field. So far it has trained more than 1,000 youth across four continents. Its methodology is simple. Complex topics like AI, robotics and rocket science are explained in easy language through short videos or “bytes”. Every video answers a basic question – What is artificial intelligence? Should we be afraid of this? Will it take away people’s jobs? Nia Jeter believes that understanding emerging technology “should not be a privilege, but everyone’s right.” Behind this thinking is also her personal experience. He studied at an engineering institute where, according to him, “there were definitely more men than women.” He also faced prejudice from people who were unwilling to accept changing realities. “And sometimes that different reality is only for the talented people who deserve a place in this world,” he said. Jeter, a global governance technologist from AI security, is optimistic about the technology’s potential, but is also acutely aware of its risks. She compares AI to a hammer. “In the right hands, it can build homes, protect people, and save lives,” she says. “But in the wrong hands, it can also be used to cause harm.” That’s why she believes regulations are important. Rules should not be seen as barriers, but as guides that help understand when and how a product might cause harm. According to him, the world is changing so rapidly that “sometimes while we are developing technology, the rules are being written at the same time.” He cautioned that these rules are often drafted by people who do not have the basic knowledge needed to develop technology responsibly. Global Dialogue in Geneva, July Initially, this thinking of Nia Jeter became a part of global discussion. He along with his team in Geneva UN’s first global dialogue on AI governance Established by the United Nations General Assembly, it was the first such forum on AI in which all countries participated. Inaugurating the conference, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres He said that if AI is used properly and its benefits are widely shared, it could “condense decades of progress into a few years” and become “the greatest instrument of equality in the 21st century.” But he cautioned that the world will have to decide whether to give AI a thoughtful direction or let it move on its own. He said that 2.2 billion people in the world, that is, one in four people, are still completely disconnected from the digital world. International Telecommunication Union (ITU)ituDoreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary General of AI, reiterated the same message that technology and international cooperation must go hand in hand to bring the benefits of AI to all. A few days later, Nia Jeter spoke at the Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence for Good (AI for Good Summit) also addressed. The discussion there focused on practical solutions like the use of AI in early detection of cancer, providing internet access to remote schools and developing critical thinking in the generation growing up with machines. Nia Jeter can return to her old career at any time, but she has chosen a different path. Today, in a classroom in Ghana, or anywhere in the world, someone is learning about algorithms who never imagined they could understand them. This was possible because one engineer decided that the future of artificial intelligence (AI) should be built not just in corporate laboratories, but in classrooms.
