Why AI Isn’t as Unbiased as We Think…

https://open.spotify.com/episode/22KDpaNpIYQoygEsoHgkUV?si=NLm956wOR8aA2HrvritlMQ

Most people don’t quite know what AI really is. Most of us know that it stands for “artificial intelligence,” but what does that mean?

“AI systems will typically demonstrate at least some of the following behaviours associated with human intelligence: planning, learning, reasoning, problem solving, knowledge representation, perception, motion, and manipulation and, to a lesser extent, social intelligence and creativity.”

So, essentially, AI is a series of human-developed algorithms designed to imitate and recreate human processes- human thinking, problem solving, and pattern analysis.

This once again brings us back to the crisis of the creator of artificial intelligence algorithms. The bias in the data management systems comes back entirely to the creator of the algorithm. If the person who coded the algorithm has some sort of inherent racism or a lack of information regarding the subject or issue in which it focuses, we see an unintentional perpetuating cycle of inaccurate categorization and a failure to accept and accommodate other possible solutions or outcomes.

So, what exactly does this mean for us? Or mean for someone who doesn’t know much about the STEM field? Pretty much every member of society these days takes part in the technological revelations that are being developed every second of the day. If you have a smartphone, an Amazon Alexa, an Apple TV, a smart TV, or anything seemingly simple in a household, you’re taking part in the genius of AI! Algorithms are constantly changing and adapting to suit your needs, always making sure to cater to the interests of the user.

But with that being said, do not let your instincts trust a computing system as an unbiased word. Society takes the word of a computer as the “right,” when in fact, every algorithm and piece of code was written by a human. The person’s moral system entirely determines the decision the computer is bound to make.

Moral of the story: don’t let the computer make a life-changing decision for you. Make it yourself!

Check out the Spotify podcast link at the top of this page: it’s a podcast called rAIsing the Bar dedicated to exploring the nuances of artificial intelligence and its practitioners and uses. If you’re curious and would like to know more about an incredibly essential field, check it out! Reach out to Hackguild for more resources.