Coded Bias: Unveiling Systemic Bias in the World of AI and Data — A Documentary Review
I just watched “Coded Bias,” a thought-provoking documentary led by MIT researcher Dr. Joy Buolamwini. The documentary talks about AI and the biases that come with it. It’s crazy how much impact AI has on our lives, and this documentary is a great eye-opener. This article is a summary of my key takeaways and honestly, a nudge to watch coded bias.
I remember laughing at Plankton and his computer girlfriend Karen in SpongeBob. Now, we live in a reality where humans can talk to their computers, thanks to AI and data. We also live in a reality where AI determines who gets what. We can’t escape the impact of AI on our world, so it’s important to be aware of these issues as AI continues to shape our lives.
“AI is based on data, and data is a reflection of our history.” — Dr. Joy Buolamwini
Here are some of my key issues highlighted from the documentary:
Systemic bias
Data is desitny
When we talk about destiny, I imagine something that predetermines the future of someone. In many ways, data is destiny and is defining our future every day. In the documentary, we see people wrongly stopped by the police just because they were misclassified as criminals.
The systemic biases and issues that we have with the police are going to be hard-wired into technologies. I think we do have to be very sensitive to shifts towards authoritarianism _ Silkie Carlo
Algorithmic Oppression
Algorithmic oppression is seen when data is used to make automated decisions regarding hiring, firing, who gets a loan or even how much people pay for issuance. According to the documentary, these algorithms have many names in our world: resume algorithm, value-added model or even the recidivism algorithms that score defendants from one to ten based on 137 factors to indicate their potential to re-offend. An example is LaTonya, a black woman who was misclassified by the system as having the potential to re-offend even though she has been home for years, actively working and positively contributing to society.
If these algorithms are made up of more datasets from a particular group of people, then the results are already nuanced to the realities we face in our daily lives.
Now, what does it mean to advocate for people who do not know the technology behind these systems?
It is one thing to know about these biases and another thing to protect yourself when the need arises.
Here are organizations that are advocating for change in the AI industry:
Algorithmic Justice League
In Coded Bias, I learned about the Algorithmic Justice League.
The Algorithmic Justice League (AJL) is an organization that uses art and research to show how artificial intelligence affects society. AJL’s goal is to make the public more aware of AI’s impacts, help advocates with resources for their campaigns, empower affected communities, and inspire action.
Learn more here:
Big Brother Watch
Big Brother Watch is a UK civil liberties campaign group that is committed to securing a free future. The organization is determined to reclaim privacy and defend freedoms during this time of significant technological change.
Learn more here:
https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/
Book Recommendations
Algorithm Oppressions by Safiya Noble.
Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil.
Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard.
Data Feminism by Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein.
Artificial Intelligence is becoming more and more important in our world, and while it brings many good things, we also need to think about the unfairness that can come with it. It’s really important to have rules that govern how we use AI and data.
I hope this article makes you want to watch the whole “Coded Bias” documentary. I hope you can learn something new, feel excited, or understand the issues better.