TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Alison Cossette

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With over two decades of experience, Alison Cossette seamlessly integrates ethics with technical acumen to create a positive impact through technology. After getting her start in occupational therapy working with cancer patients, Alison wondered how to expand her influence. “If I could learn data science and couple it with my clinical knowledge, I could help the many, instead of one patient at a time.” Working with data at a hospital, Alison helped improve systems and, in turn, more people.

 

“Incorporating societal repercussions of data science is pivotal,” Alison emphasizes. In 2021, Alison founded Explain It - AI, a platform committed to algorithmic literacy and public education about AI. Two short years later, they launched a research division helmed by Alison’s husband, where together, they’re leveraging AI to bring greater accessibility to government data. Now in 2023, Alison is taking on her biggest challenge yet, launching Patrun, Inc., which licenses creator content for generative AI models. “The era of ChatGPT is upon us, and it is imperative that we get this right,” Alison explains. With Patrun, she establishes a groundbreaking initiative, the Pattern Rights Royalty Program, paying royalties to content creators for works utilized in AI models. “We have a multi-billion-dollar industry built on creative works without compensation for these raw materials.” Her initiative positions creators as essential partners in shaping the future of AI.

Alison is recognized as a powerful voice working for the betterment of others. Named Technology Innovator of the Year, her influence transcends accolades as she is a teacher, mentor, and coach for women in technology, advocating for equity in the industry. She is a member of the NIST Generative AI Public Working Group and delivers speeches and keynotes across the globe on Artificial Intelligence.

 

Alison’s narrative is an inspirational evolution from healthcare nurturing to history-making AI stewardship, from singular therapy to global impact. With passion, she engineers a symbiotic partnership between technology and society, epitomizing responsible tech progression.

 

Alison holds a bachelor’s from NYU and attended the master’s in data science program at Northwestern University.

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Alison Cossette

Founder — Patrun, Inc.

Website: www.patrun.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-cossette-7115857