Oh, how the tables have turned. A few months after pulling ads from Gamasutra, Intel has announced at CES that it’s committed to spending 300 million dollars on diversifying the tech industry. Intel has also stated that they will hire a “full representation” of marginalized workers by 2020.
We’re calling on our industry to again make the seemingly impossible possible by making a commitment to real change and clarity in our goals. Without a workforce that more closely mirrors the population, we are missing opportunities, including not understanding and designing for our own customers. -Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO
Krzanich announced that in order to keep things in line, Intel would partner with a variety of women’s and gaming groups, including Anita Sarkeesian’s Feminist Frequency, as well as the International Game Developers Association and the E-Sports League. Intel will also reach out to schools to assist in outreach to marginalized folks for computer science courses.
The tech industry needs more companies like Intel to invest in marginalized groups and bring in new voices to the industry. Hopefully this pays off, and the tech industry diversifies even more!