‘Break up the groupthink’: Democrats press Biden to diversify his tech picks

Democrats for years have pressured Silicon Valley companies to address their poor track records on workforce diversity. Now they’re calling on President-elect Joe Biden to do the same for federal agencies that oversee the tech industry. Failing to do so, lawmakers and civil rights experts say, could hinder the administration’s efforts to address critical tech issues such as rooting out biases in artificial intelligence and expanding internet connectivity for communities of color. Lawmakers from across Congress’ top diversity caucuses said in interviews that key to addressing so-called digital equity — the concept that everyone should have access to technology and the opportunities it offers — is making diversity a priority for executive branch roles in science, technology and telecommunications, where women and people of color have historically struggled to gain broad representation.