Iqra Waheed

Iqra Waheed is entering her senior year at Columbia University, where her primary focus is AI policy and its applications in higher education. She began exploring this area in high school through a research project that used an AI model to examine sexist representations of women in video games, including how games rewarded violence against female characters. After initially attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice within the CUNY system, Waheed transferred to Columbia. At John Jay, her inquiry about centralized AI policy prompted the formation of a committee that developed guidelines later adopted across all 25 CUNY colleges. At Columbia, she serves as class president and participates in committees addressing AI literacy guidelines, policy, and piloting projects, such as a freshman chatbot and workshops on ethical AI use in classes. Waheed is also co-founding a startup that operates a crowdfunding platform matching investors with projects aligned to their values and interests. Her long-term goal is to attend law school and practice as an intellectual property lawyer protecting technological innovations.