Detecting, Addressing and Debunking the Hidden AI Biases

Those of us in the technology sector are quick to celebrate advances in artificial intelligence (AI). From applications that can detect fraudulent transactions to those that can predict disease progression, AI is poised to optimize business automation processes and drive powerful research breakthroughs. So why is it that a 2021 survey by the Pew Research Center found that a greater share of Americans reported being "more concerned than excited" about AI's increasing presence, and how can our community address this? Aside from the proverbial fear of job loss (and I, Robot uprisings), public mistrust of AI stems from the field's lack of ethical oversight. Professor Frank Rudzicz of the University of Toronto and the Vector Institute outlines the three biggest ethical concerns for AI today: First, what AI is actually used for may not be what we intended; second, access to AI is not always equal; and lastly, AI can very easily adopt and amplify unconscious human biases in our society.