Government by algorithm: Can AI improve human decisionmaking?

Regulatory bodies around the world increasingly recognize that they need to regulate how governments use machine learning algorithms when making high-stakes decisions. This is a welcome development, but current approaches fall short. As regulators develop policies, they must consider how human decisionmakers interact with algorithms. If they do not, regulations will provide a false sense of security in governments adopting algorithms. In recent years, researchers and journalists have exposed how algorithmic systems used by courts, police, education departments, welfare agencies and other government bodies are rife with errors and biases.