HUMAN
VS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
A consultant in Silicon Valley once informed me that our pocket artificial intelligence (AI) is more intelligent than we realize. It communicates with our other electronic devices, sharing information across Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networks. This combination of learning algorithms and constant data gathering means that AI is constantly processing information relative to its programming. However, this seemingly benign technology has the potential to influence our daily decisions, as many of them are not conscious. Furthermore, the benefits of AI may persist for some while marginalizing others due to the imperfections of our society. AI is dependent on human programming and its learning is only as good as the quality of data it receives. This can lead to implicit bias and other subjective criteria that initiate prejudice in AI decision-making. Machine learning, a subset of AI, can result in fostering racial and gender profiling, as well as other hidden and normalized biases. If a society has a history of discriminatory practices, AI will provide a rear-view outcome, limiting equity-based progress with seeming legitimacy.In 2015, Jacky Alciné, a 22-year-old software engineer residing in Brooklyn, shared images of his friend on Google Photos. However, Google Photos' artificial intelligence misclassified over 80 photos of Alciné's black friend as "gorilla." Alciné took to Twitter to express his frustration, stating, "Google Photos, you messed up. My friend is not a gorilla." This incident is not an isolated case. Earlier this year, Uber faced consequences when its utilization of Microsoft facial recognition technology led to the dismissal of its own employees. The technology failed to recognize and authenticate non-white employees.