Amid reckoning on police racism, algorithm bias in focus

A woman holding a sign that reads ‘Stop Killing’ while standing near policemen during a small standoff between police and protesters in front of Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, DC. — AFP

WASHINGTON: A wave of protests over law enforcement abuses has highlighted concerns over artificial intelligence programs like facial recognition which critics say may reinforce racial bias.

While the protests have focused on police misconduct, activists point out flaws that may lead to unfair applications of technologies for law enforcement, including facial recognition, predictive policing and “risk assessment” algorithms.