'Bias deep inside the code': the problem with AI 'ethics' in Silicon Valley

When Stanford announced a new artificial intelligence institute, the university said the "designers of AI must be broadly representative of humanity" and unveiled 120 faculty and tech leaders partnering on the initiative. Some were quick to notice that not a single member of this "representative" group appeared to be black. The backlash was swift, sparking discussion on the severe lack of diversity across the AI field. But the problems surrounding representation extend far beyond exclusion and prejudice in academia. Major tech corporations have launched AI "ethics" boards that not only lack diversity, but sometimes include powerful people with interests that don't align with the ethics mission.