When people hear the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) they often have images of robots walking down the streets, or a computer system that can beat us in chess. However, AI is more than just that — it is a powerful tool that can allow us to access and structure data that was previously inaccessible. AI is transforming healthcare, transportation, marketing, and many other industries. But who is actually benefiting from this new technological frontier?
Communities of Color Are Being Left Behind
Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that many communities of color are being left behind by the progress being made in AI. Despite the promises of AI to increase accuracy, speed, and efficiency in various fields, it has been found that AI-based systems still contain biases stemming from the data used to train them. This means that these systems may end up serving one group of people better than another — often to the detriment of communities of color.
What Can Be Done?
There are steps that can be taken in order to ensure that everyone can benefit from the advances made in AI. Here are a few ideas:
- Increase Diversity in AI Teams – AI teams should be made up of people from a broad range of backgrounds in order to prevent preconceived biases from entering the development process.
- Increase Education – It is important to educate the general public of the potential benefits, but also the potential pitfalls, of using AI. This includes teaching them how to recognize and avoid the biases that AI-based systems may contain.
- Increase Accountability – As AI becomes more prevalent, governments and companies should be held accountable for the biases that they are introducing into AI systems. This includes making sure that AI-based systems are regularly tested to ensure they are not introducing any new or existing biases.
Conclusion
AI is transforming industries, and it has the potential to benefit people from all walks of life. However, it is clear that communities of color are being left behind due to the biases that can be introduced into AI-based systems. It is important to take steps to make sure everyone can benefit from the advances that AI brings, and that AI teams are diverse and accountable for their decisions.