How can you ensure your AI software is free from bias?

We wrote an article on this awhile back reflecting our consideration and experience from practice. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2105.06558.pdf

Once a wise man said "your AI model would be as good as your dataset". There is always the biasing in dataset not in the model so start paying attention to your dataset which you are feeding for model training and you will see the difference.

If I can target two main things, it's, Data Cleaning and Veracity of the data The primary goal of applying AI is to get the best results in the least amount of time for a given dataset. But AI's main requirement is that the data is concise to find the hidden patterns. I recently came across the quote that goes this way, "For an efficient AI algorithm, it takes 90% of the time for Data cleaning and just 10% to code". Secondly, it's the genuineness of the data. AI can work without any bias using any data but it can be trusted only if the data is from a genuine source.

You can't. That's the whole point why this requirement is problematic. You can only introduce different bias — which you better, in the words of the knight in Indiana Jones, "choose wisely". (And frankly, if you overdo it and fail, you become the laughing stock of the internet, as we have all recently seen.)

Ensuring AI software is bias-free involves a multifaceted approach. Start with diverse and representative training data, meticulously curating it to minimize inherent biases. Implement fairness-aware algorithms, conduct regular audits, and leverage explainable AI techniques to scrutinize model decisions. Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering ethical considerations throughout development. Continuous monitoring and updates are essential, accompanied by user feedback mechanisms. Rigorous testing against diverse scenarios is crucial, promoting transparency and accountability in AI deployment.

Ensuring that AI is not biased mainly depends on the data quality rather than the algorithms, which holds in roughly 95% of cases. Studies in fields like computer vision show that while the design of models might impact results, it is significantly less compared to the influence of the data. My experience aligns with this; choices in architecture can impact performance to some extent, but ensuring high-quality and unbiased data collection and representation is crucial for accuracy. Therefore, spending most of the time on the data rather than the model architecture is essential.

As with most things technical, it starts with the data. As one of my former CFOs always used to say, "garbage in, garbage out." To stop bias in AI software, we need diverse and true data. This means picking data carefully and making sure it's fair. Having a team with different views helps spot and fix bias. It's also key to keep checking and updating AI to make sure it stays fair and accurate as things change.

Although we must not stop fighting against bias, we have to accept that AI will never be 100% bias-free no matter how many restrictions are added to the metapromps and the algorithms that govern it. Most of the problem comes from the source data with which LLMs have been trained, which has its origin in a history that reflects the reality of a humanity full of biases. The perception of bias itself continues to be very interpretive and we still have a long way to go to reach a consensus, and when this is reached it will already be obsolete again. The work ahead of us is titanic and commendable: we have to continually retrain AI on each new reality of bias we find ourselves in.

I've learned firsthand that carefully scrutinizing your data and algorithms is crucial for tackling bias in AI. Though tedious, regularly auditing and questioning assumptions helps build more inclusive systems. ? Thoroughly audit training data to uncover and document hidden biases or imbalances that could propagate unfairness ? Extensively test algorithms on varied real-world input to reveal flawed assumptions or logic that could lead to prejudiced decisions ? Frequently report data and algorithm audit results to key stakeholders to maintain transparency around efforts to address algorithmic bias While not glamorous, earnest assessments of AI building blocks separate systems that compound unfairness from those that mitigate it.

To manage this the developers employ various strategies such as; 1. Utilizing diverse training data representing different demographics and cultures. 2. Implementing bias detection and mitigation techniques during training. 3. Maintaining transparency about data sources, algorithms, and decision-making processes. 4. Cultivating a diverse development team to uncover and address biases. 5. Establishing ethical guidelines and review processes for AI development. 6. Continuously monitoring and improving AI systems based on real-world feedback. In my opinion these practices do a good deal to promote fairness in AI technology.

Combat AI bias through diverse perspectives. Homogeneous teams risk overlooking varied needs. Engage users, experts, regulators, and foster a collaborative team culture. Venture capital diversity is a pressing issue—0.3% goes to female-founded AI companies. As part of this 0.3%, my team prioritizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in our models, aiming for positive AI impact. Learn from industry examples, like Microsoft's Twitter bot incident, emphasizing the importance of diverse inputs to avoid biases. Diversify the narrative and workforce to ensure AI serves all.

It's natural for the biases of development teams to reflect in their choices during the AI development process. This could include selecting training datasets, thresholds, parameters, and even algorithms. To counter this, diverse AI development teams are essential. Diversity here means not only in gender, race, and ethnicity but also in experiences, disciplines, and thought processes. However, achieving this diversity can be challenging, especially in smaller teams. Beyond team composition, the development process itself must incorporate checks and balances to reduce bias risks. Additionally, fostering a culture of openness and encouraging team members to challenge assumptions are crucial steps in creating equitable AI solutions.

To ensure AI software is bias-free: Address bias at every stage, from data collection to delivery feedback. Train sourcing team on bias avoidance. Detailed guidelines and examples reduce unintentional bias. Diverse team selection reduces individual biases. Tests and feedback ensure understanding and improvement. Annotators trained to recognize and mitigate biases. Examples aid in distinguishing biased content. Feedback loops enable bias identification and rectification. Creating awareness and accountability ensures AI software is as bias-free as possible.

You cannot eliminate bias without interjecting bias. It is a slippery slope in determining which is better. Being self-aware and cognizant of what you are attempting to do when you "override" the model at least puts you in the position to understand why you chose to influence the outcome and evaluate if it was truly the lesser of two evils.

One of the most important parts of diminishing bias (I have yet to see a human or model that holds zero bias) is including diverse (in all senses of the word) perspectives from day one of your product/company/team. That means idea generation, research, data collection, etc. and then creating a space for those perspectives to be heard, accounted for and encouraged. One trick I like to employ is asking someone to play devil’s advocate in a meeting or discussion. This ensures at least one person (but hopefully all) will provide an alternative view or approach. Document the potential biases and unintended consequences that arise and determine how you will address those (it may be at a later date but you will have it noted to go back to).

1) Establish clear governance policies, processes, and metrics to assess model performance, fairness, security and alignment with ethical AI principles. 2) Continuous monitoring of training data, model outputs and system behavior to detect issues like bias creep, distributional shift adversarial attacks or unintended consequences. 3) Plan for third party audits of the AI system's inner workings, test cases, documentation and algorithmic accountability measures for regulatory compliance. 4) Implement robust feedback loops to incorporate insights from monitoring and audits back into model retraining and system updates. 5) Designate cross-functional teams with reps from legal, ethics, security and stakeholder groups to conduct oversight.

Bias has been part of human decisions throughout our history. Our biased are passed to our algorithms in two manners. First by historical data. Historical data is a reflection of the values existing at the moment of the data generation. Secondly by our algorithm training conditions that we set. For example, today we do pay a lot of attention to ensure unbiased gender decisions. On the other hand we do not considered things that are irrelevant to our core values. For example, we do not consider if people are vegans or not. So our algorithm might contain biases that will be rise in importance later on. Notice that today’s data do not contains enough information about relevant biases in the future. So, be aware that there will be biases.

Guard against bias in AI software with these steps: - Regular monitoring and auditing - Use of metrics and dashboards - Establish clear policies and procedures

One should follow ISO 8183 AI Data Lifecycle Standard to ensure that they verify and validate the system and AI model at the right steps during development and deployment. Tools such as Sagemaker Clarify can be useful in shining a light on bias within an AI model. Red-teaming can also be utilised to reveal and mitigate biases. It is recommended that companies establish an AI ethics committee to discuss types of bias discovered in an AI model and determine which should be mitigated and which left but continually monitored.

It is very critical that we monitor and audit the AI tools for bias, some of the common techniques used in the industry includes 1) User Feedback: Establish clear channels for users to flag potential bias. Actively monitor feedback and investigate concerns raised by users. 2) Documentation Review: Check all documentation , including data sourcing, model development, and bias mitigation efforts. Look for inconsistencies or insufficient efforts to minimize bias. 3) Impact Assessment: Evaluate whether your AI system has demonstrably different impacts on specific groups. 4) Algorithm and Model Review: Have experts carefully analyze your algorithms and models for unintended consequences, faulty assumptions, or that introduce bias.

Explainable and transparent AI is a critical piece of governance. As more enterprises adopt this technology, we will see competitive pressure for large language model and foundational model companies to become increasingly more transparent and explainable. Embracing an LLM agnostic tech stack will position an organization to lean into the LLMs that commit to explainable AI standards as they are established—similar to the increased demand for transparent sourcing and ingredient information by consumers for products we use everyday. The companies that commit to explainable AI will win as their customers commit to Responsible AI practices.

Ensuring that AI software is free from bias requires a proactive and comprehensive approach throughout the entire development lifecycle. some of the important facts include Diverse and representative data; Transparency and explainability; Ethical guidelines and standards.

Absolutely, bias in AI can erode user and stakeholder trust, especially when they lack understanding of its workings. To counter this, transparent communication is key. Employ techniques like visualizations, summaries, and explanations to elucidate how your AI operates: its decision-making processes, the data and algorithms it relies on, and the associated outcomes and risks. By fostering clarity and transparency, you can bolster trust and acceptance among your users and stakeholders

While striving for bias-free AI is crucial, it doesn't end with building the software. Trust and acceptance hinge on transparent communication. Visualizations, summaries, and clear explanations are vital tools to empower users and stakeholders. Show them how decisions are made, what data fuels those decisions, and potential risks involved. Building understanding fosters trust, allowing your AI to thrive in a responsible and ethical ecosystem.

1) Ensure representative training data. Leverage synthetic data for gaps. 2) Use AI Evaluation tooling to proactively detect bias. E.g. AWS SageMaker Clarify, Galileo AI, Patronus AI. 3) Continuously retrain with new data. Particularly important to prevent bias that can impact life decisions, be costly, expose your company to liability risk or get you in trouble with regulators. 4) Use specialized LLMs to govern inputs to and outputs from primary model. Continuously fine-tune guardrail models on feedback data. 5) Keep a human in the loop despite speed tradeoff. Critical for mitigating risks and securing benefit of fair and trustworthy AI.

The field of AI ethics is continually evolving, with new techniques and best practices emerging all the time. Developers should stay informed about the latest research and regulatory developments in this area to ensure their AI systems remain ethical and compliant with relevant standards. Additionally, fostering a culture of ethical awareness within development teams can help promote responsible AI practices from the ground up.

Your model will only follow the training data -if you train your model on biased data, it will most certainly produce biased results. Make sure you get your data from multiple distinct sources which will significantly decrease the bias in the results.

I believe we need to invest more in AI talent planning and training. From small businesses to corporations there’s a still big gap in the knowledge and skill sets to support this growing field. According to the latest EY Reports only 49% of employees already are or expect to be using GenAI in the next 12 months. Some people also might feel scared and disconnected. It is our responsibility to prepare our workforce and our leadership to be the frontrunners.

To support creating unbiased AI systems, engage with professionals from humanities, social sciences, and arts to gain insights into human values, social norms, and cultural diversity. This can help in designing AI that respects and understands human nuances better.

Bias within AI is present and is likely to be an ongoing issue, with our view of bias also varying. Rather than the expectation of AI being free from bias, it is in the benchmark testing of AI where a solution can occur. Benchmark testing is emerging and is the performance management of the data, algorithms, and in the integration of different types of AI on risk-based approach. With the required assurance, audit, and regulatory (with benchmark testing itself using AI to assure AI outcomes), the bias and performance of AI can be managed. This amongst others, is part of the business opportunities occurring. A combined stakeholder effort will be required.