Dawn V. Carr is an award-winning market research strategist and the Founder & CEO of Mahogany Insights, a boutique consultancy that helps brands build authentic, lasting connections with Black and multicultural consumers. With 25+ years of experience spanning Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, and leading global agencies, Dawn blends the rigor of big-brand strategy with the cultural fluency needed to turn real-world truths into meaningful action. Through her work and thought leadership, she champions the intersection of insight, inclusion, and innovation—ensuring that human stories remain at the heart of data and AI-driven decisions.
Sessions
Apr 29
4:20 PM - 4:40 PM EDT
Yellow Stage
Inclusive Insights & Social Impact
Responsible AI
Trends & Culture
Can an Algorithm Feel the Culture? Why AI Struggles with Black Consumer Truths
Can an algorithm feel the culture? AI is transforming market research, but documented studies show it often struggles with African American Vernacular English, cultural nuance, and even emotion recognition on darker skin tones. This session explores where those gaps appear, why they matter for brands engaging Black consumers, and practical steps researchers can take to approach AI with more cultural awareness. Key Takeaways: 1. Spot the Blind Spots: Identify documented ways of how AI misreads Black consumer voices from language to emotion. 2. Understand the Stakes: Learn why missing cultural nuance in AI outputs isn't just bias, it's a business risk. 3. Build Better Practices: Walk away with principles and guardrails for using AI in research responsibly and inclusively.
