The Chronicles of AI Ethics: The Man, The Machine, And The Black Box

Today, machine learning and artificial intelligence systems, trained by data, have become so effective that many of the largest and most well-respected companies in the world use them almost exclusively to make mission-critical business decisions. The outcome of a loan, insurance or job application, or the detection of fraudulent activity is now determined using processes that involve no human involvement whatsoever. In a past life, I worked on machine learning infrastructure at Uber. From estimating ETAs to dynamic pricing and even matching riders with drivers, Uber relies on machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance customer happiness and increase driver satisfaction. Frankly, without machine learning, I question whether Uber would exist as we know it today.