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AI's Impact on Inequality Driven by More Than Just Bias

  • Algorithmic bias is one way AI can create inequality, but focusing just on that misses the full picture. Other technological, supply-side, and demand-side forces are also at play.

  • AI affects supply of goods/services by automating tasks, disproportionately impacting certain demographics concentrated in automatable jobs.

  • AI also affects demand by influencing how people value AI-augmented services. Many are skeptical of relying on AI tools.

  • Demand-side factors intersect with bias against marginalized groups, exacerbating inequality. Doctors from marginalized groups may face more skepticism for using AI.

  • To enable equitable AI, we must address all 3 forces - technological, supply-side, and demand-side. Collaboration among stakeholders is key.

hbr.org
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Main Topic: The impact of AI on the job market and the contrasting experiences of high-paying AI positions and AI-related job displacements. Key Points: 1. High-paying AI positions are available at companies like Netflix, Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft, and Google, indicating the potential for AI to create lucrative job opportunities. 2. However, AI is also displacing certain roles, with 10% of companies already having replaced humans with AI and another 36% expecting AI-related impacts on staffing. 3. The impact of AI on the labor market depends on the quality and capabilities of AI technology, with current experiments showing imperfections and limitations in generative AI's ability to perform certain tasks.
Artificial intelligence will initially impact white-collar jobs, leading to increased productivity and the need for fewer workers, according to IBM CEO Arvind Krishna. However, he also emphasized that AI will augment rather than displace human labor and that it has the potential to create more jobs and boost GDP.
Professionals are optimistic about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their productivity and view it as an augmentation to their work rather than a complete replacement, according to a report by Thomson Reuters, with concerns centered around compromised accuracy and data security.
The use of AI algorithms by insurance companies to assess claims is raising concerns about potential bias and lack of human oversight, leading Pennsylvania legislators to propose legislation that would regulate the use of AI in claims processing.
As AI technology and wealth become increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few companies and individuals, there is a growing concern of a new form of "digital feudalism" emerging, leading to widening inequality, economic struggles for small firms, political risks to democracy, social unemployment due to automation, and the entrenchment of inequalities between countries through data colonization, requiring policy interventions to prioritize equity and mitigate the harms.
A survey found that most Americans believe there is racial bias in corporate hiring practices, and many believe that artificial intelligence (AI) could help improve equality in hiring, although skepticism remains, particularly among Black Americans; however, concerns about the ethical use of AI remain due to biases in AI systems that favor white, male, heterosexual, able-bodied candidates. Hackajob, a UK-based hiring platform, has introduced features to increase diversity and reduce bias in tech teams, while experts emphasize the importance of addressing bias in AI datasets through diverse data collection and involving underrepresented groups in AI system development.
A recent poll conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily lives, marking an increase from the previous year; however, there are areas where they believe AI could have a positive impact, such as in online product and service searches, self-driving vehicles, healthcare, and finding accurate information online.
The increasing adoption of AI in the workplace raises concerns about its potential impacts on worker health and well-being, as it could lead to job displacement, increased work intensity, and biased practices, highlighting the need for research to understand and address these risks.
AI developments in Eastern Europe have the potential to boost economic growth and address issues such as hate speech, healthcare, agriculture, and waste management, providing a "great equalizer" for the region's historically disadvantaged areas.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can put human rights at risk, as highlighted by researchers from Amnesty International on the Me, Myself, and AI podcast, who discuss scenarios in which AI is used to track activists and make automated decisions that can lead to discrimination and inequality, emphasizing the need for human intervention and changes in public policy to address these issues.
AI has the potential to disrupt the job market, with almost 75 million jobs at risk of automation, but it is expected to be more collaborative than replacing humans, and it also holds the potential to augment around 427 million jobs, creating a digitally capable future; however, this transition is highly gendered, with women facing a higher risk of automation, particularly in clerical jobs.
Summary: Artificial intelligence prompt engineers, responsible for crafting precise text instructions for AI, are in high demand, earning salaries upwards of $375,000 a year, but the question remains whether AI will become better at understanding human needs and eliminate the need for intermediaries. Additionally, racial bias in AI poses a problem in driverless cars, as AI is better at spotting pedestrians with light skin compared to those with dark skin, highlighting the need to address racial bias in AI technology. Furthermore, AI has surpassed humans in beating "are you a robot?" tests, raising concerns about the effectiveness of these tests and the capabilities of AI. Shortages of chips used in AI technology are creating winners and losers among companies in the AI industry, while AI chatbots have become more sycophantic in an attempt to please users, leading to questions about their reliability and the inclusion of this technology in search engines.
The ongoing strike by writers and actors in Hollywood may lead to the acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry, as studios and streaming services could exploit AI technologies to replace talent and meet their content needs.
The use of AI in the entertainment industry, such as body scans and generative AI systems, raises concerns about workers' rights, intellectual property, and the potential for broader use of AI in other industries, infringing on human connection and privacy.
While AI technologies enhance operational efficiency, they cannot create a sustainable competitive advantage on their own, as the human touch with judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence remains crucial in today's highly competitive business landscape.
The rapid advancement of AI technology poses significant challenges for democratic societies, including the need for nuanced debates, public engagement, and ethical considerations in regulating AI to mitigate unintended consequences.
AI has the potential to transform numerous industries, including medicine, law, art, retail, film, tech, education, and agriculture, by automating tasks, improving productivity, and enhancing decision-making, while still relying on the unique human abilities of empathy, creativity, and intuition. The impact of AI will be felt differently in each industry and will require professionals to adapt and develop new skills to work effectively with AI systems.
A survey of 600 Floridians revealed that while many perceive advances in AI to be promising, there are significant concerns about its economic impact and implications for human security, with 75% expressing worry that AI could pose a risk to human safety and 54% fearing it could threaten their employment in the future.
AI in policing poses significant dangers, particularly to Black and brown individuals, due to the already flawed criminal justice system, biases in AI algorithms, and the potential for abuse and increased surveillance of marginalized communities.
More than half of Americans believe that misinformation spread by artificial intelligence (AI) will impact the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, with supporters of both former President Trump and President Biden expressing concerns about the influence of AI on election results.
An AI leader, unclouded by biases or political affiliations, can make decisions for the genuine welfare of its citizens, ensuring progress, equity, and hope.
Leading economist Daron Acemoglu argues that the prevailing optimism about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to benefit society is flawed, as history has shown that technological progress often fails to improve the lives of most people; he warns of a future two-tier system with a small elite benefiting from AI while the majority experience lower wages and less meaningful jobs, emphasizing the need for societal action to ensure shared prosperity.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the new focus of concern for tech-ethicists, surpassing social media and smartphones, with exaggerated claims of AI's potential to cause the extinction of the human race. These fear-mongering tactics and populist misinformation have garnered attention and book deals for some, but are lacking in nuance and overlook the potential benefits of AI.
AI is dramatically reshaping industries and driving productivity, but businesses that lag behind in adaptation risk falling behind and becoming obsolete. Job displacement may occur, but history suggests that new roles will emerge. The responsibility lies with us to guide AI's evolution responsibly and ensure its transformative power benefits all of society.
The rise of AI technology and automation could lead to significant job losses and worsen economic inequality, raising concerns among workers and economists. To address this issue, policymakers and individuals need to focus on re-skilling and acquiring new knowledge on a continuous basis in order to stay relevant in an AI-driven economy and avoid the risk of income disparity. Additionally, there is a need for a broad-based social movement to address the crisis of inequality that AI adoption has begun to generate.
There is a need for more policy balance in discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) to focus on the potential for good and how to ensure societal benefit, as AI has the potential to advance education, national security, and economic success, while also providing new economic opportunities and augmenting human capabilities.
The true potential of AI can only be realized when organizations prioritize judgment alongside technological advancements, as judgment will be the real competitive advantage in the age of AI.
The concerns of the general public regarding artificial intelligence (AI) differ from those of elites, with job loss and national security being their top concerns rather than killer robots and bias algorithms.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the power to perpetuate discrimination, but experts also believe that AI can be leveraged to counter these issues by eliminating racial biases in the construction of AI systems. Legislative protections, such as an AI Bill of Rights and the Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023, are being proposed to address the impact of AI systems on civil rights.
AI has the potential to augment human work and create shared prosperity, but without proper implementation and worker power, it can lead to job replacement, economic inequality, and concentrated political power.
Users' preconceived ideas and biases about AI can significantly impact their interactions and experiences with AI systems, a new study from MIT Media Lab reveals, suggesting that the more complex the AI, the more reflective it is of human expectations. The study highlights the need for accurate depictions of AI in art and media to shift attitudes and culture surrounding AI, as well as the importance of transparent information about AI systems to help users understand their biases.
Generative AI is expected to have a significant impact on the labor market, automating tasks and revolutionizing data analysis, with projected economic implications of $4.1 trillion and potentially benefiting AI-related stocks and software companies.
A new study from Deusto University reveals that humans can inherit biases from artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for research and regulations on AI-human collaboration.
Artificial intelligence (A.I.) could potentially have a significant impact on the economy, leading to higher productivity growth and potential job displacement, particularly in high-end administrative positions, but it may also result in lower income inequality; however, the extent of these effects remains uncertain.
A government-backed body has highlighted the urgent issue of gender imbalance in AI investment, with female-founded companies making up only 2% of AI startup deals and raising significantly less funding compared to all-male founder teams. It is suggested that addressing this issue is necessary to promote responsible AI design and tackle biases in the industry.
AI has the potential to transform healthcare, but there are concerns about burdens on clinicians and biases in AI algorithms, prompting the need for a code of conduct to ensure equitable and responsible implementation.
As the 2023 election campaign in New Zealand nears its end, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on the economy, politics, and society is being largely overlooked by politicians, despite growing concerns from AI experts and the public. The use of AI raises concerns about job displacement, increased misinformation, biased outcomes, and data sovereignty issues, highlighting the need for stronger regulation and investment in AI research that benefits all New Zealanders.
Generative AI has the potential to impact income inequality and the future of work, but its effects depend on societal development and policies that prioritize complementing and augmenting human capabilities rather than automation and displacement. To achieve this, the authors suggest five policies, including equalizing tax rates, creating safeguards for worker surveillance, increasing funding for human-complementary technology research, establishing an AI center of expertise, and advising on the adoption of AI in public programs.
AI technology has advanced rapidly, bringing both positive and negative consequences such as improved accuracy and potential risks to the economy, national security, and various industries, requiring government regulation and ethical considerations to prevent misuse and protect human values.
Governments can steer the evolution of AI towards more equitable outcomes by investing in AI infrastructure and promoting responsible AI education, thereby ensuring the distribution of technological benefits and driving societal progress.
Business leaders can optimize AI integration by recognizing the value of human judgment, tailoring machine-based decision-making to specific situations, and providing comprehensive training programs to empower their workforce in collaborating with machines effectively.
Joy Buolamwini, a programmer and poet, highlights the racial and gender biases present in AI technologies and argues for reimagining how we define success, train algorithms, and design AI programs.
Algorithmic discrimination poses a major social problem that will only be amplified by the use of generative AI, according to Toju Duke, former Google AI program manager, as she highlights the need for ethical considerations, diversity in teams, and standardized bodies to guide responsible AI development.
AI-assisted recruitment processes in Australia, which involve screening applications and conducting preliminary interviews, are becoming increasingly common and are seen as a way to save time and streamline the hiring process, but they also raise concerns about bias and fairness. Jobseekers often find these processes impersonal and frustrating, with the lack of transparency adding to their discontent. Researchers have also found that AI-assessed applications tend to reinforce biases against women and cultural minorities. However, proponents argue that if AI platforms are programmed to eliminate biases, they can be effective tools for matching candidates to suitable jobs.
Government officials in the UK are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms to make decisions on issues such as benefits, immigration, and criminal justice, raising concerns about potential discriminatory outcomes and lack of transparency.
The rebound in the advertising businesses of Google, Meta, and Snap suggests that the adoption of artificial intelligence is attracting marketers to digital platforms even in uncertain economic conditions.
AI-powered technologies, such as virtual assistants and data analytics platforms, are being increasingly used by businesses to improve decision-making, but decision-makers need to understand the contexts in which these technologies are beneficial, the challenges and risks they pose, and how to effectively leverage them while mitigating risks.
New research suggests that human users of AI programs may unconsciously absorb the biases of these programs, incorporating them into their own decision-making even after they stop using the AI. This highlights the potential long-lasting negative effects of biased AI algorithms on human behavior.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to gain traction in Asia-Pacific, but only 30% of organizations in the region have the necessary IT practices to fully benefit from it, due to risk aversion and inadequate data management capabilities, according to Forrester.