The challenges of using machine learning to identify gender in images

In recent years, computer-driven image recognition systems that automatically recognize and classify human subjects have become increasingly widespread. These algorithmic systems are applied in many settings – from helping social media sites tell whether a user is a cat owner or dog owner to identifying individual people in crowded public spaces. A form of machine intelligence called deep learning is the basis of these image recognition systems, as well as many other artificial intelligence efforts. This essay on the lessons we learned about deep learning systems and gender recognition is one part of a three-part examination of issues relating to machine vision technology. Interactive: How does a computer "see" gender?