Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

A.I.s Tend to Be Racist and Sexist For Exactly the Reason You Think, but Now There May Be a Way to Change That

A.I.s Tend to Be Racist and Sexist For Exactly the Reason You Think, but Now There May Be a Way to Change That
Credit: Pixabay

German researchers may have a fix.

Artificial intelligence technology has made great strides of late, showing it can perform not just credit worthiness and shopping-behavior algorithms, but interpret what animals are saying, create nude art and even write the next installment of Game of Thrones.

However, it turns out machine learning is missing a critical component of human thought: the ability to not be sexist and racist.


Artificial intelligence has been a boon for industries such as insurance, banking and criminal justice, allowing companies and organizations to quickly and efficiently synthesize large amounts of data to determine who’s most likely to file a claim or default on a loan or in which neighborhoods a crime is more likely to occur.

However, biased results have been a growing problem. For instance, a ProPublica investigation of COMPAS (Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions), an AI algorithm frequently used in the U.S., found that the algorithm thought black people posed a higher recidivism risk than has been the case. In a different investigation by the Human Rights Data Analysis Group, crime-predicting software was found frequently sending police to low-income neighborhoods regardless of the actual rate of crime.

Many claim the problem is with the input data, not the AI itself.

“In machine learning, we have this problem of racism in and racism out,”saysChris Russell of the Alan Turing Institute in London.

A group of German researchers hopes to change that, with a new approach to keep bias out of the process of training algorithms. Niki Kilbertus of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, and lead researcher for the project, points out that AI learns through patterns, without taking into account sensitive information such as the color of someone’s skin making them more likely to be arrested in the first place, or denied a job that could make them more credit-worthy.

“Loan decisions, risk assessments in criminal justice, insurance premiums, and more are being made in a way that disproportionately affects sex and race,” Kilbertus told New Scientist.

Due to discrimination laws and/or individuals’ reluctance to reveal their sex, race or sexuality, companies in the past have faced barriers to looking at such sensitive data, so Kilbertus’ group’s fix includes privately encrypting this information for companies using AI software. An independent regulator would then be able to check the sensitive information against the AI outputs and, if determined to be unbiased, issue a fairness certificate indicating all variables have been considered.

While the results of Kilbertus’ group’s proposal have yet to be seen, few would argue that there’s still much work to be done in adapting artificial intelligence to our increasingly complicated world.

“What’s at stake when we don’t have a greater understanding of racist and sexist disparities goes far beyond public relations snafus and occasional headlines,” Safiya Noble, author of Algorithms of Oppression, told Canadian newsmagazine The Walrus. “It means not only are companies missing out on new possibilities for deeper and more diverse consumer engagements, but they’re also likely to not recognize how their products and services are part of systems of power that can be socially damaging.”

More from News

Drew Barrymore with Ariana Grande holding Glinda wand
The Drew Barrymore Show

Ariana Grande Speechless After Drew Barrymore Surprises Her With Original 'Wizard Of Oz' Prop

Ariana Grande had her dream come true after landing the role of Galinda, a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch, in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked now in theaters.

But she didn't know she was about to be granted the most magical wish of them all.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of James Clyburn
CNN

James Clyburn Breaks Down Who's On His 'Pre-Emptive Pardon' List—And Yeah, We Get It

After President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, South Carolina Democratic Representative James Clyburn weighed in on who Biden should preemptively pardon before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Biden granted “a full and unconditional” pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, covering federal gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden had been scheduled to be sentenced for his federal gun conviction on December 12 and for his tax case just four days later.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

MTG Just Demanded A 'Blanket Pardon' From Trump—And Everyone Has The Same Question

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was criticized after demanding a "blanket pardon" from President-elect Donald Trump to her and her fellow Republicans.

Greene's remarks came after Biden granted “a full and unconditional” pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, covering federal gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden had been scheduled to be sentenced for his federal gun conviction on December 12 and for his tax case just four days later.

Keep ReadingShow less
Best friends hugging
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

People Explain Why They Had A Falling Out With Their Best Friend

A best friendship is one of those things where a lot of us think that once we "have" it, we always will.

But just like any other relationship, friendships take work, and sometimes friendships come in for a season rather than a lifetime, no matter how solid they may seem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bill Maher; Jane Fonda
Club Random Podcast/YouTube

Jane Fonda Shuts Down 'Cynical' Bill Maher After He Claims 'Far Left' Has Gone 'Nutty'

Legendary actor and activist Jane Fonda had some choice words for comedian and Real Time host Bill Maher after he criticized liberals and leftists.

The confrontation happened during Fonda's recent appearance on Maher's Club Random podcast.

Keep ReadingShow less