Coded Bias Analysis
The documentary “Coded Bias” is all about artificial intelligence and the bias that goes on behind the scenes. It starts with Joy Buolamwini, the MIT researcher responsible for discovering, acknowledging, and addressing the consequences of bias in technology like facial recognition. She introduces the concept that facial recognition algorithms are flawed and do not evenly apply to everyone, something she herself experienced when testing her work and not being scanned properly because she was a woman. This documentary takes us along the discovery and revelation of these deeply rooted issues in artificial intelligence, and along the way introduces us to groups like the Algorithmic Justice League that are fighting to restore “fairness and transparency” in the biometric identification industry. The documentary also talks about an activist group called Big Brother, whose goal is to challenge mass surveillance and bring some justice to those wrongly identified by police and government authorities.
One thing I learned that I didn’t previously know was how deeply rooted the issue is and how long it has been going on. It is a problem that affects all areas of our lives, from our public safety to how we interview for jobs, which makes this a global problem that we all need to work towards. I also didn’t realize how much of artificial intelligence is unknown in a sense, where we can tell the machine to use this data and draw conclusions without actually fully knowing what results the machine gets to. I never grasped the significance of machine learning and artificial intelligence and the significant implications those could have in factors not controlled by those programming these machines.
I thought the Big Brother group was extremely interesting, especially the ways they went about the social and technological reform they were hoping to achieve. Despite obviously not being legal actions, I thought it was interesting to see how they found where facial recognition was biased and then acted to try and rectify that injustice. Also how they addresses the lawsuits they were filing against these companies that surveil the masses and how prepared the Big Brother group was. Although I dislike the fact that they made it violent and took it out on people that weren’t always involved, I did find it interesting how their system and network was being used to help the minorities that were being targeted by facial recognition.
Lastly, the only question I have after watching this is what are we doing now? What are we as a population and government doing to reduce the injustice and bias in artificial intelligence?
