Intel pledges $300m investment towards diversity in technology following GamerGate criticism
After getting caught up in the GamerGate saga last year, Intel will invest $300m (£198.28m) into an initiative to improve diversity in the technology and gaming industries.
Chief executive Brian Krzanich said the company will actively hire more women and under-represented minorities in his keynote address at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Intel came under fire last year when it withdrew an ad campaign on gaming website Gamasutra, after it had been targeted as part of a GamerGate campaign against the website which had criticised gamer culture.
At the time Intel said it had been unwittingly caught up in the whole affair, but Krzanich did make reference to “a confluence of industry events” which has brought the issue of diversity in technology under the spotlight.
Intel will now work with a number of partners in the technology and gaming industries to “help build a pipeline of female and under-represented engineers and computer scientists”.
The International Game Developers Association, the E-Sports League, Feminist Frequency and the US National Center for Women in Technology have all been brought on board.
Intel also plans to deepen its engagement with primary education programmes focused on under-served areas.
Krzanich said:
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.
In October last year the American chip makers were forced to clarify their position on diversity following its removal of advertising on the Gamasutra website, whose editor Leigh Alexander had been targeted by GamerGate’s online activists.
Intel said in a statement:
When it comes to our support of equality and women, we want to be very clear: Intel believes men and women should be treated the same. And, diversity is an integral part of our corporate strategy and vision with commitments to improve the diversity of our workforce. And while we respect the right of individuals to have their personal beliefs and values, Intel does not support any organization or movement that discriminates against women. We apologize and we are deeply sorry if we offended anyone.
Watch Krzanich's full keynote address in the video below: