Why AI and Big Data can't be fair

AI is already deciding about our daily lives in insurance, healthcare, shopping, politics & government but because we don't know which decisions they are making let alone why, we are afraid. We don't want a world where AI confuses men of colour with gorillas, women find out they are pregnant by algos spotting a pattern in their shopping or where our pay is determined by algorithms written by unaccountable geeky white heterosexual cis males... like our after-dinner speaker Dominic Connor.

Founded in the 1960s, the Real Time Club brings together an eclectic mix of entrepreneurs, journalists, lawyers, technologists, scientists, academics and educators to network and debate the great technology issues of the day over a fine three-course meal with an adequate quantity of wine at the National Liberal Club in Whitehall under the Chatham House Rule.

After we have dined, Dominic Connor will address the most important technology and social issue of our day, taking on questions like 'How can we make the new generation of AI/DS treat us fairly? What do we mean by fair?

Are we electronic sheep dreaming of rules for the wolves of Silicon Valley?

In a lively survey of what is wrong with algorithmic decision-making Dominic will explain why it is unlikely to get better any time soon and some new and interesting ways it will get worse. Even if we somehow got "fairness" you probably don't want it. Although the tone will be light-hearted, the content will strike at the heart of these issues.

A dose of realism

It's very easy to find fault with technology, it's a lot harder to actually do something constructive about it rather than just "raise awareness" and hardest of all to even attempt to change without actually making things worse. Dominic will be the bearer of bad news here, with a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

The tradition of the Real Time Cub is that the speaker will answer any and all questions "with all due respect" under the Chatham House Rule to promote frank and lively discussion, you do not need to be a member and you can book here.

Our Speaker, Dominic Connor

As well as being current President of the Real Time Club, Dominic Connor has done nearly every job in IT, from grunt programmer on a failed AI project at BT, debugging Microsoft operating system code for IBM, directing build of a secure wide area network for HM government, lecturing in programming, head of IT in the City, founder member of the VB User Group, Test Director at PC Magazine, contributor to The Register, City headhunter, vice chair of the Conservative Technology Forum, printing teflon circuit boards for the military and despite his questionable views on fuzzy logic Queen Mary College felt it had no alternative but to give him a degree in maths and computer science.

Founded in 1967 the Real Time Club meets to network and discuss technology issues of the day at the National Liberal Club. You do not have to be a member to attend this dinner.

Over the decades we have evolved a format of:

6:00 to 7:00     Networking drinks at our open bar

7:00 to 8:15     A fine three-course dinner with wine and drinks

8:15 to 9:15     Our after-dinner speaker will talk on ‘Algorithmic Fairness’

9:15 to 10:00   Questions from the floor, robust debate.

If this sounds like the right way to spend an October evening then book on this link.