Artificial Intelligence May Reflect the Unfair World We Live in

We've all heard Elon Musk speak with foreboding about the danger AI poses -- something he says may potentially bring forth a Third World War: This is of course the power of artificial intelligence (AI). But let's put aside for a moment Musk's claims about the threat of human extinction and look instead at the present-day risk AI poses. This risk, which may well be commonplace in the world of technology business, is bias within the learning process of artificial neural networks. This notion of bias may not be as alarming as that of "killer" artificial intelligence -- something Hollywood has conditioned us to fear. But, in fact, a plethora of evidence suggests that AI has developed a system biased against racial minorities and women. Consider the racial discrimination practiced against people of color who apply for loans.