Built in Bias?

Bias and microaggressions stall progress and create more work for everyone! In companies, BIPOC individuals are rule-checked, audited, stalled, more deeply background checked, interrupted, and hassled in the routine flow of business more than their non-BIPOC counterparts. And when this happens, beyond the hassle to their direct teams, the overall business suffers.

I recall once having audits and reviews done against my budgets and background check requests that no one across four teams I consulted had ever heard of. People with higher level budgets and access were floored by how long it took, and how much “validation” was required. Everyone I needed to support had to wait due to inefficiency caused by systemic bias (there was nothing to find).

But since bias is often oblivious of itself, no one understood my concern. It was like an unsavory odor that the perpetuator has grown nose-blind to, unbothered while others are grossly offended.

As we move excitedly and feverishly towards systems of automated intelligence, this is an important feature to remember. It’s not a footnote: systemic bias perpetuated by humans must be flagged and dismantled at every turn less they become better perpetuated with efficiency in artificial systems. I’m not the first one to talk about this. It’s an already ongoing uphill climb for biometric screening, resume scanning, hand soap dispensers, and other applications. But we want to build smarter systems — so we inclusive and BRAVE people who are empowered to uphold a high-humanity standard.

I believe that unchecked bias will only create more easily automated inequities. These may be harder to interrupt since these systems will intelligently perpetuate ignorance at lightening speed.

There will be many consequences to consider.

Want a real example? Read this article about bias in the IRS audit process — https://lnkd.in/geENswhh.