Artificial intelligence is infiltrating our daily lives, with applications that curate your phone pics, manage your email, and translate text from any language into another. Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft are all heavily researching how to integrate AI into their major services. Soon youll likely interact with an AI (or its output) every time you pick up your phone. Should you trust it? Not always.
AI can analyze data more quickly and accurately than humans, but it can also inherit our biases. To learn, it needs massive quantities of data, and the easiest way to find that data is to feed it text from the internet. But the internet contains some extremely biased language. A Stanford study found that an internet-trained AI associated stereotypically white names with positive words like love, and black names with negative words like failure and cancer.
Luminoso Chief Science Officer Rob Speer oversees the open-source data set ConceptNet Numberbatch, which is used as a knowledge base for AI systems. He tested one of Numberbatchs data sources and found obvious problems with their word associations. When fed the analogy question Man is to woman as shopkeeper is to... the system filled in housewife. It similarly associated women with sewing and cosmetics.
While these associations might be appropriate for certain applications, they would cause problems in common AI tasks like evaluating job applicants. An AI doesnt know which associations are problematic, so it would have no problem ranking a womans rsum lower than an identical rsum from a man. Similarly, when Speer tried building a restaurant review algorithm, it rated Mexican food lower because it had learned to associate Mexican with negative words like illegal.
So Speer went in and de-biased ConceptNet. He identified inappropriate associations and adjusted them to zero, while maintaining appropriate associations like man/uncle and woman/aunt. He did the same with words related to race, ethnicity, and religion. To fight human bias, it took a human.
Numberbatch is the only semantic database with built-in de-biasing, Speer says in an email. Hes happy for this competitive advantage, but he hopes other knowledge bases will follow suit:
This is the threat of AI in the near term. Its not some sci-fi scenario where robots take over the world. Its AI-powered services making decisions we dont understand, where the decisions turn out to hurt certain groups of people.
The scariest thing about this bias is how invisibly it can take over. According to Speer, some people [will] go through life not knowing why they get fewer opportunities, fewer job offers, more interactions with the police or the TSA... Of course, he points out, racism and sexism are baked into society, and promising technological advances, even when explicitly meant to counteract them, often amplify them. Theres no such thing as an objective tool built on subjective data. So AI developers bear a huge responsibility to find the flaws in their AI and address them.
There should be more understanding of whats real and whats hype, Speer says. Its easy to overhype AI because most people dont have the right metaphors to understand it yet, and that stops people from being appropriately skeptical.
Theres no AI that works like the human brain, he says. To counter the hype, I hope we can stop talking about brains and start talking about whats actually going on: its mostly statistics, databases, and pattern recognition. Which shouldnt make it any less interesting.
Continue reading here:
What Makes an Artificial Intelligence Racist and Sexist - Lifehacker
- Classic reasoning systems like Loom and PowerLoom vs. more modern systems based on probalistic networks [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Using Amazon's cloud service for computationally expensive calculations [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Software environments for working on AI projects [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- New version of my NLP toolkit [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Semantic Web: through the back door with HTML and CSS [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Java FastTag part of speech tagger is now released under the LGPL [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Defining AI and Knowledge Engineering [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Great Overview of Knowledge Representation [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Something like Google page rank for semantic web URIs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- My experiences writing AI software for vehicle control in games and virtual reality systems [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The URL for this blog has changed [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- I have a new page on Knowledge Management [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- N-GRAM analysis using Ruby [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Good video: Knowledge Representation and the Semantic Web [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Using the PowerLoom reasoning system with JRuby [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Machines Like Us [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- RapidMiner machine learning, data mining, and visualization tool [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- texai.org [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- NLTK: The Natural Language Toolkit [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- My OpenCalais Ruby client library [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Ruby API for accessing Freebase/Metaweb structured data [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Protégé OWL Ontology Editor [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- New version of Numenta software is available [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Very nice: Elsevier IJCAI AI Journal articles now available for free as PDFs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Verison 2.0 of OpenCyc is available [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- What’s Your Biggest Question about Artificial Intelligence? [Article] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Minimax Search [Knowledge] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Decision Tree [Knowledge] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- More AI Content & Format Preference Poll [Article] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- New Planners Solve Rescue Missions [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Neural Network Learns to Bluff at Poker [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Pushing the Limits of Game AI Technology [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Mining Data for the Netflix Prize [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Interview with Peter Denning on the Principles of Computing [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Decision Making for Medical Support [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Neural Network Creates Music CD [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- jKilavuz - a guide in the polygon soup [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Artificial General Intelligence: Now Is the Time [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Apply AI 2007 Roundtable Report [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- What Would You do With 80 Cores? [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Software Finds Learning Language Child's Play [News] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Artificial Intelligence in Games [Article] [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Artificial Intelligence Resources [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Alan Turing: Mathematical Biologist? [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2012]
- BBC Horizon: The Hunt for AI ( Artificial Intelligence ) - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Can computers have true artificial intelligence" Masonic handshake" 3rd-April-2012 - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Kevin B. Korb - Interview - Artificial Intelligence and the Singularity p3 - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Artificial Intelligence - 6 Month Anniversary - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Science Breakthroughs [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Hitman: Blood Money - Part 49 - Stupid Artificial Intelligence! - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Research Members Turned Off By HAARP Artificial Intelligence - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Artificial Intelligence Lecture No. 5 - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- The Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, 2012 - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Charlie Rose - Artificial Intelligence - Video [Last Updated On: April 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 30th, 2012]
- Expert on artificial intelligence to speak at EPIIC Nights dinner [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Filipino software engineers complete and best thousands on Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence Course [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Vodafone xone™ Hackathon Challenges Developers and Entrepreneurs to Build a New Generation of Artificial Intelligence ... [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Rocket Fuel Packages Up CPG Booster [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- 2 Filipinos finishes among top in Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence course [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2012]
- Why Your Brain Isn't A Computer [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2012]
- 2 Pinoy software engineers complete Stanford's AI course [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2012]
- Percipio Media, LLC Proudly Accepts Partnership With MIT's Prestigious Computer Science And Artificial Intelligence ... [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- Google Driverless Car Ok'd by Nevada [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- Moving Beyond the Marketing Funnel: Rocket Fuel and Forrester Research Announce Free Webinar [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- Rocket Fuel Wins 2012 San Francisco Business Times Tech & Innovation Award [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- Internet Week 2012: Rocket Fuel to Speak at OMMA RTB [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2012]
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Facebook Ads -- Rocket Fuel's VP of Products, Eshwar Belani, to Lead MarketingProfs ... [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2012]
- The Digital Disruptor To Banking Has Just Gone International [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2012]
- Moving Beyond the Marketing Funnel: Rocket Fuel Announce Free Webinar Featuring an Independent Research Firm [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2012]
- MASA Showcases Latest Version of MASA SWORD for Homeland Security Markets [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2012]
- Bluesky Launches Drones for Aerial Surveying [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2012]
- Artificial Intelligence: What happened to the hunt for thinking machines? [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2012]
- Bubble Robots Move Using Lasers [VIDEO] [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2012]
- UHV assistant professors receive $10,000 summer research grants [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2012]
- Artificial intelligence: science fiction or simply science? [Last Updated On: May 28th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 28th, 2012]
- Exetel taps artificial intelligence [Last Updated On: May 29th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 29th, 2012]
- Software offers brain on the rain [Last Updated On: May 29th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 29th, 2012]
- New Dean of Science has high hopes for his faculty [Last Updated On: May 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2012]
- Cognitive Code Announces "Silvia For Android" App [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2012]
- A Rat is Smarter Than Google [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2012]