AI is changing the world—but at what cost?
While this tech advancement helps industries streamline operations and optimize decision-making, many are still reluctant, questioning whether AI is beneficial. From bias to manipulation and mass surveillance, these concerns hinder the adoption of this technology in their systems.
And this is what IT expert Dilyor Mikhidinov aims to change.
For him, AI should never choose between innovation and responsibility. Instead, it should be a combination of both—powerful and principled AI.
And his career ensures that technology can work for all humanity, not vice versa.
Hailing from Uzbekistan, Dilyor grew up fascinated by mathematics and problem-solving. He spent hours tackling complex equations, driven by his innate curiosity to understand patterns and systems. His curiosity soon extended to computers, where he saw a greater potential to solve real-world problems through programming and data analysis.
His love for technology and its principles set him on a path toward software development—spending his years learning programming and exploring how data could be transformed into meaningful insights.
However, as he dove deeper into technology and systems, he soon realized something—technology was not inherently neutral despite its power. He discovered that technology could be used for good or misused depending on how it was designed and implemented.
While AI can automate, optimize, and predict, it can also exacerbate bias, compromise privacy, and widen social inequalities. This realization became Dilyor’s guiding principle in his career, making Dilyor an advocate for responsible AI development.
As Dilyor transitioned to the expansive world of data analytics, he faced a challenge shaping his approach to AI—bridging the gap between technical efficiency and ethical responsibility.
He discovered that many industries prioritize profit over ethical considerations, and it’s up to him to change this mindset. Dilyor made a compelling case that responsible AI isn’t just a moral obligation but a business necessity.
But what does he mean by it?
Dilyor believes that organizations sometimes need to challenge decisions that lack transparency or fairness, regardless of how data-driven they are. At other times, they need to develop alternative solutions that optimize business processes while ensuring ethical integrity.
Perhaps one of Dilyor’s most defining moments in his career was when he optimized transportation models using AI.
As he worked on increasing fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, Dilyor saw a risk—specific AI recommendations could lead to unintended biases in freight distribution, favoring high-profit routes while neglecting low-income regions.
Rather than dismissing the issue as a minor trade-off, Dilyor took a different approach. He developed a more balanced model prioritizing economic efficiency and equitable service distribution. Through his model, Dilyor made a significant positive impact on the environment while ensuring all communities could feel the benefits of the optimization, regardless of their contribution to profits.
But Dilyor thought that this wasn’t enough. He wanted to extend his impact on other sectors, so he moved into healthcare.
Working in healthcare presented a different set of challenges for Dilyor. While he wanted to increase early disease detection rates and improve diagnostic accuracy through predictive models, he also needed to solve an underlying problem—if he trained AI models on historically biased medical datasets, they could inadvertently lead to misdiagnoses for underrepresented populations.
This challenge pushed Dilyor to dig deeper because he knew he could not treat it as a purely technical issue.
His solution was simple—advocating for more diverse training data and rigorous bias audits. His insistence on ethical AI development ensured that the system was effective, fair, and reliable for all patients, regardless of their background.
Dilyor faced more complex ethical dilemmas as he moved into fraud detection and government data management.
At the Colorado Department of Human Services, Dilyor ensured that government AI systems adhered to strict privacy and transparency standards. He faced yet another huge challenge: balancing data-driven efficiency with personal rights.
While agencies can use AI to streamline public services and detect fraud, its irresponsible application can lead to unjust profiling and privacy violations. With this thought, Dilyor took a stand— advocating for stronger data governance policies that ensure agencies use AI to empower, not exploit, communities.
Reflecting on his career, Dilyor noted that he had to navigate resistance to ethical AI principles. He shared that the more companies prioritize immediate gains over long-term accountability, the harder it becomes to convince stakeholders to embrace responsible AI practices.
However, this didn’t stop Dilyor from pushing for ethical AI adoption.
Through his technical expertise and strategic insight, Dilyor went beyond emphasizing risks—he presented viable solutions that align ethics with business objectives. His work proves that fair AI isn’t a limitation but an enhancement that can lead to more trust, better results, and sustainable innovation.
And it’s only the start of Dilyor’s advocacy for responsible AI adoption.
Looking into the future, he aims to build AI models that merge with conscience:
“In the next 10 years, I envision myself leading a consulting and software development firm that specializes in ethical AI and predictive modeling. I aim to help businesses across industries adopt responsible data practices and leverage AI to solve complex challenges in sustainable and socially responsible ways.”
His goals go beyond developing AI solutions to reshape how industries think about AI altogether. He strongly believes that AI must be transparent, fair, and accountable, and he wants to educate and inspire the next generation of developers and business leaders to adopt this mindset.
For Dilyor Mikhidinov, or Dilyor as his friends and family call him, AI should serve humanity, not vice versa.
As industries continue to innovate, leaders like Dilyor ensure that AI remains a tool for progress, not a source of unchecked power and unintended harm. His career reflects how technology and ethics don’t have to be at odds—when combined with the right mindset, they can drive meaningful, lasting change for all communities, regardless of status.
About the Author
Leila Jenkins is a New York-based tech writer. She writes about individuals and organizations in tech that promote the responsible use of advancements and advocate the “tech-for-all” mindset. Leila likes to read books while sipping her homegrown coffee when she’s not writing about people or tech.
