Why Technology Alone Can't Solve AI's Bias Problem - HBS Working Knowledge

In a cluttered online world, few can resist the convenience of an automated ranking when deciding what movie to watch on Netflix or which seafood restaurant looks promising in a Google search. But when it comes to finding a job candidate or someone to do a basic household task, there's often a human toll to letting algorithms do the work. Searches on popular recruiting sites might seem like a neutral way to find prospective candidates, but their underlying technology can reinforce biases by excluding underrepresented groups, including women. For instance, research shows that women receive fewer employment reviews on the popular online freelancing site TaskRabbit compared to men with the same experience--and this lack of reviews can lower the rankings of women in talent search algorithms. "Maybe there is a bias from people who have been traditionally hiring men," explains Himabindu Lakkaraju, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School.