2 Ways To Balance AI’s Worst Tendencies

Bruce is the founder of ProjectManagementHacks.com, a resource for growing IT project managers.

  Artificial Intelligence   Innovation   Organizational Project Management   Strategy  

The way we work today is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. To keep up, we need to understand these technologies holistically—where they add value, and where they fall short.

AI tools and methods are getting better every year thanks to constant investment and entrepreneurial drive. This development is exciting for project managers (and anybody else excited about innovation). Yet, it is also essential to keep the limitations of AI in check with humane values.

The AI Challenge
The last few years have seen mixed results for artificial intelligence. A few high-profile examples illustrate the human cost of poorly governed AI:

• Microsoft chatbot: Microsoft’s chatbot “Tay” was supposed to be a significant advancement in developing AI’s ability to communicate with humans. Unfortunately, human users taught the technology to make racist comments hours after its launch.
• Amazon’s hiring problem: In 2018, Amazon announced it was scrapping its AI recruiting engine. The reason? The technology was trained on male applicants, so it systematically undervalued female job applicants.
• Racial bias in housing: MIT Technology Review reported that AI lending systems tended to charge higher interest rates to Hispanic and Black borrowers.

I don’t want to come across as entirely critical or hostile …

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