Abstract

This case explores the journey of Dr. Fei-Fei Li (Li), a pioneering figure in Artificial Intelligence (AI), known for her contributions to human-centered AI. It traces her early life, academic path, and landmark achievements such as ImageNet, her tenure at Google Cloud, and the challenges surrounding Project Maven. This case highlights her advocacy for inclusive AI education through AI4ALL and her foundational role in establishing the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. It culminates with the creation of World Labs, a startup focused on spatial intelligence and 3D modelling, which became a unicorn within months. Through Li’s story, the case raises critical questions about ethics and responsible AI development.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• To analyze how ethical leadership and personal values shape decision-making in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.
• To understand the principles and real-world application of human-centered AI through the career journey and initiatives led by Fei-Fei Li.

Keywords

Leadership; Women leaders; Fei Fei Li, AI4ALL; AI; advocacy; World Labs; Ethical AI; ethical leadership; Project Maven; Experiential Learning Cycle; inclusivity; Next Gen AI leaders,