Amazon’s role in co-sponsoring research on fairness in AI draws mixed reaction

SEATTLE: Amazon has partnered with the taxpayer-funded National Science Foundation on a three-year, US$20mil (RM81.66mil) programme to fund basic research into fairness in artificial intelligence systems, which are under increasing scrutiny as they spread in society and sometimes amplify existing biases. 

Some researchers welcomed the move, suggesting it signals a growing awareness of the importance of this area of inquiry. Others raised concerns about Amazon's participation, pointing to potential conflicts of interest for researchers who would scrutinise artificial intelligence technologies at both the company and its competitors.