Why We Need Accountable Algorithms

AI and machine learning algorithms are marketed as unbiased, objective tools. They are opaque mechanisms of bureaucracy and decisionmaking in which old-fashioned racist, sexist, and classist biases are hidden behind sophisticated technology, usually without a system of appeal. As their influence increases in society, we face a choice. Do we ignore their pernicious effects, or do we understand, regulate, and control the biases they exert? If we want them to represent transparent fairness, freedom, and consistency in an efficient, cost-saving manner, we must hold them accountable somehow.