Introducing: f[AI]r startups

Building ML and AI products, ethically.

When people talk about fairness and ethics in tech, they are usually focused on the tech giants of the industry. Understandably so - these companies are among the world’s largest, whose products impact billions of people each day.

Media coverage of tech ethics over the last few years

They are also leaders in the development and use of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, so it makes sense that they’re the focus of an increasing number of studies and discussion of algorithmic bias and fairness in AI / ML (like this study and also this one from FAT*2018, and the great investigative work done by ProPublica).

However, there are many other companies also building or buying ML technologies, driven by fears of being left behind in the AI arms race and a desire to capitalize on the gold rush. These range from Fortune 500s to the rapidly growing AI startup ecosystem, where more than 4,000 startups building AI technology have raised over $24 Billion in funding.

Who is holding startups accountable for the social outcomes of the products they build? Is anyone helping early-stage companies understand best practices for building ethical AI and addressing algorithmic bias? Who is thinking about broader societal impact in the startup ecosystem?

These are some of the questions that led us to build f[AI]r startups, a non-profit initiative that supports founders, investors, mentors, and accelerators on why and how startups should build AI ethically, from the earliest stages of product development. We are an initiative launched out of Assembly, a fellowship program hosted by the MIT Media Lab and Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

It’s not about tech for good, or “doing the right thing” — it’s also about building better products, protecting your business, sending a trusting signal to your customers, and minimizing the potentially negative impacts that biased, unfair technology can have on society.

We know how lean and laser-focused startups need to be as they get their companies off the ground, and adding yet another thing to a founder’s plate doesn’t seem like the right approach. So, rather than making ethics another separate consideration, we want ethical tech to be the predominant mindset for founders and AI / ML practitioners. We want to embed fairness in startup culture, from the feedback you seek on your concept, to the way you design and prototype, through the actual data you collect and the way you train your models. We want to build a movement of practitioners, influencers, and early adopters who know this is an existential issue and are ready and willing to do something about it… in short, we want to make it cool to be fair.

Over the next few months we’ll be publishing a series of posts on the different components of f[AI]r startups, explaining our perspective, how you can get involved, the work we’ve set out to do. For now, we wanted to introduce ourselves and say hello. And, of course, ask you to join the movement.

Questions? Comments? Want to get involved? Let us know: joinus@fairstartups.org.

f[AI]r startups is a non-profit initiative that supports founders, investors, mentors, and accelerators on why and how startups should build AI ethically, from the earliest stages of product development.

Hallie Benjamin is a co-founder of f[AI]r startups. She has spent the last decade working at the intersection of social justice, business and tech, and is pushing for the design and development of technology that is accessible to everyone.

André Barrence is a co-founder of f[AI]r startups. He knows intimately the various aspects of the tech ecosystem, venture capital investment and policy making for innovation. He believes founders must challenge the status quo and build successful companies that also create positive impact in society.