It is algorithms that feed our brains on social media. Algorithms also
control the stock markets and make decisions about what treatment we should
be offered in hospitals. Soon they will also be involved in deciding which
products should be developed.
– An algorithm race has been started. All of the big companies are talking
about it. I say that in five years, large companies' decisions regarding
innovation and investments will be supported by algorithms and artificial
intelligence, says Professor Alf Rehn from the Department of Technology and
Innovation at the University of Southern Denmark.
He is part of the project ‘Algorithms, Data and Democracy’, where
researchers have received DKK 100 million from the VILLUM FOUNDATION and
the VELUX FOUNDATION to investigate how artificial intelligence affects
democracy.
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– We talk a lot about dark data. When we use Google, we do not know what
datasets Google uses to find the right information. It's dark data. As the
algorithms determine more and more, it is important to discuss the data
sets that we put into the algorithms and their transparency, Alf Rehn
emphasises.
Toys for white men
As a professor of innovation, Alf Rehn is concerned that we are missing out
on important developments when algorithms are set to make a preliminary
sorting the projects. If we are not aware of our own blind spots in the
data that we equip the algorithms with, we end up reproducing more of the
products we already have.
– We call it innovation bias. If the algorithms think; We have always
developed toys for Alf, so now we continue to develop things for Alf, so
then there are many people in the world who do not benefit from this
innovation, says Alf Rehn, who is a 48-year-old highly educated white man.
He points out that the vast majority of developments today take place to
satisfy a minority: namely, the privileged middle-aged western man’s need
for entertainment, and for him not to get too fat or lose his hair. At the
same time, over 700,000 children die of diarrhoea each year.
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- at Helpfulcore.RenderingExceptions.Pipelines.RenderRendering.ExecuteRenderer.Process(RenderRenderingArgs args)
– If the algorithms do not understand the big problems in the world and
continue to develop toys for me, it creates global democratic problems.
– It is people who control the foundation of data on which the algorithms
make decisions, so it is extremely important that we discuss the
transparency and the basis of decisions of the algorithms before these are
fixed, says Alf Rehn.
Are algorithms racist?
A research result from M.I.T Media Lab is a shining example that algorithms
are no smarter than the dataset they are being trained with. After
examining a wide range of face recognition technologies, in 2018,
researchers were able to conclude that the technologies had a much easier
time identifying a white man than any other combination of skin colour and
gender.
The same was true when Google in 2015 had to apologise because an algorithm
categorised images of dark people as gorillas.
– It is not because the algorithm is racist, but the algorithm will
reproduce the unconscious bias of those who develop the algorithms have. If
we do not understand the limitations of the algorithm, then there is a risk
that we lose an entire branch of development because the algorithm is
programmed to continue developing toys for Alf, Alf Rehn explains and
continues:
– I am not saying that it all gets much worse with algorithm-driven
innovation. In fact, we have a golden opportunity for it to get better, but
it does not happen by itself. This only happens if we are aware of blind
spots and are critical of the data that we feed the algorithm.
– If successful, there is a possibility that algorithms will make better
choices than the choices people make today.
Facts about the project
-
Project name: Algorithms, Data and Democracy
- Project partners: University of Copenhagen, Aalborg University,
Copenhagen Business School, DPU, Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark. The project is led by Professor Sine Nørholm Just from
Roskilde University
- Grant: The VILLUM FOUNDATION and the VELUX FOUNDATION have, as part of
anniversary activities in 2021, decided to allocate DKK 100 million to the
project
- Project period: 10 years.