Jacki O'Neill

Dr. Jacki O'Neill is the founding Director of the Microsoft Research Africa Nairobi Lab and a researcher dedicated to using technology to improve work lives and shape the future of society. Her research focuses on creating fair generative artificial intelligence, particularly in culturally and linguistically sensitive AI tools, natural language processing for African languages, and resource-constrained computing. As an ethnographer, her work delves deeply into socio-technical systems, with research areas spanning the future of work, the gig economy, financial inclusion, and global healthcare. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed papers and holds 16 patents. Dr. O'Neill is an active contributor to top-tier conferences, such as Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and Human-Computer Interaction (CHI).

• Year to present·Microsoft Research Africa, Nairobi (formerly MARI)·Founding Lab Director
  • Leads a multidisciplinary team combining research, engineering, and design to address local challenges and create globally fair generative artificial intelligence. The research agenda includes culturally and linguistically sensitive AI, NLP for African languages, resource-constrained computing, and human-computer interaction.