Thomas Adams

How to make computers less biased

Pa Manjang, Parr, Rochelle Farool, Meredith Broussard, Thomas Adams, Tamara Gilkes-Boer

Uber driver Pa Manjang is suing the company for algorithmic dismissal after an automated facial verification system permanently deactivated his account, sparking broader allegations of racial bias in tech infrastructure. This legal action highlights systemic issues where biased training data and lack of diverse testing have led to discriminatory outcomes in sectors ranging from mortgage lending to medical diagnostics. In response, regulators like the European Union are proposing stricter AI oversight frameworks while industry innovators develop tools to detect embedded bias before algorithms impact fundamental rights.