AI MUST READS — W44 2018, by City AI
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and related fields are in a constant state of change. We want to inform but also encourage discussions on well presented topics we think are necessary in the context of putting AI into production. Every week we’re picking applied AI’s best articles plus adding a discussion starter
1. UC Berkeley researchers find that lending algorithms discriminate against ethnic minorities
Author — Yao Huang (Follow on Twitter) Via The Daily Californian
It would seem that at a first glance that this is a level of discrimination that can be seen is within a familiar vein to the discrimation that can be found throughout a number of recent algorithmic developments. However, in fact, as Michelle Singletary makes clear in her interview on the topic, whilst it is unarguably discrimination it is also not the type of clear cut discrimation that it could be miscontrued as from this article.
“According to the study, the other two main findings are silver linings. Innovations, including fintech lending, allow people to get better loans… Fintech lending has also eliminated minority discrimination in loan rejections, according to the study, which also found that face-to-face lenders reject ethnic minorities about four percent more often than fintechs.”
2. Google fixes ‘sexist’ Translate tool
I feel that the reason that Google have commited to fixing this ‘sexism’ (questionable) is more to do with the public reception to solving a current hot button issue, rather than the actual issue.
Perhaps its such a level of ignorance that I have regarding this topic that I’m entirely blind to the issue, however it feels that those whose primary concern is victimisation coming from Google Translate are perhaps the problem, in the same way as those cared about identify of Apple Emojis. Over sensationalism of trivial problems such as these pull attention away from genuine issues that would have positive societal impacts.
