Hello, I’ve spent my life moving between languages. I was born in Iran and grew up speaking Farsi. But after moving to the United States, English became the language of my work, research, and daily life. Still, Farsi remains my anchor — woven into my culture, my memories, and how I connect with my family, friends, and children. Yet in the world of AI, languages like Farsi are often an afterthought — poorly represented, misinterpreted, or ignored altogether. Most AI systems today are built and tested with English at the center. When other languages are included, they are often just translations of English datasets, stripped of cultural nuance and complexity, and designed without input from the communities they affect most. But this isn’t just a technical flaw — it has real-world consequences. AI-driven content moderation frequently mislabels speech in non-English languages, silencing critical conversations. Automated systems fail to detect misinformation in underrepresented languages, allowing harmful narratives to spread unchecked. The result? Entire communities are pushed further to the margins. That’s why I joined Mozilla as a Senior Fellow. My project is rethinking how AI is evaluated. Not just generically advocating for better AI, but actively creating new benchmarking datasets in collaboration with civil society organizations, ensuring that non-English languages are represented fairly. Mozilla’s Fellows program supports projects like this – led by technologists, researchers, and policy experts who are challenging the status quo and building a more just, inclusive internet. Will you donate €10 to help support Mozilla Fellows like me and advance Mozilla’s mission to ensure technology works for all of us? Mozilla Fellows can continue to make a huge difference — but only with your support. Donate now → As a researcher, technologist, and advocate, my work has always lived at the intersection of human rights and technology. With a background in electrical engineering and human rights studies, I have spent years advising civil society organizations, tech companies, and policymakers on the ethical risks of AI, particularly how these systems impact marginalized communities. Through this work, I’ve seen firsthand how AI’s failure to properly understand language deepens digital inequalities. These biases aren’t just technical errors; they cause real harm. My project is just one of many that Mozilla’s Fellows program supports. Fellows like me are tackling some of the most urgent challenges in tech — from holding AI accountable to protecting digital rights and ensuring technology serves everyone, not just the powerful. Mozilla provides critical funding, mentorship, and a platform to drive real change toward a more open and inclusive internet. But none of this happens without you. Your donation doesn’t just support my work — it helps fund the 16 other Mozilla Fellows and support Mozilla's work to make technology more just, transparent, and accessible. And it ensures Mozilla can continue bringing in new Fellows to tackle the biggest issues at the intersection of technology and society. Together, with your support, Mozilla Fellows are turning vision into action. Can you add a €10 donation to support my work and the work of other critical Mozilla programs? Your donation is an investment in a future where AI is more inclusive, digital rights are protected, and the internet remains open and accessible to all. Donate now → If AI is shaping our world, let’s ensure it understands and includes all of us. Thank you for everything you do for the internet. Roya Pakzad
Senior Fellow
Mozilla | 