Algorithmic bias and racial inequality: a critical review.

Most definitions of algorithmic bias and fairness encode decision-maker interests, such as profits, rather than the interests of disadvantaged groups (e.g. racial minorities): bias is defined as a deviation from profit maximization. Future research should instead focus on the causal effect of automa...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oxford Review of Economic Policy Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 530 - 547
Main Author: Kasy, Maximilian
Format: Literature Review
Published: Oxford University Press / USA Autumn2024
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=181096027&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: hlh
    uiTerm: 181096027
    longDbName: Humanities International Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        0266903X
        3DJ
      jtl: Oxford Review of Economic Policy
      issn: 0266903X
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Autumn2024
      vid: 40
      iid: 3
      pid: 622
      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
    artinfo:
      ui:
        181096027
        10.1093/oxrep/grae031
      ppf: 530
      ppct: 17
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Algorithmic bias and racial inequality: a critical review.
      aug:
        au: Kasy, Maximilian
        affil: Department of Economics, University of Oxford
      su:
        Algorithmic bias
        Statistical bias
        Profit maximization
        Racial inequality
        Racial minorities
      sug:
        subj:
          Algorithmic bias
          Statistical bias
          Profit maximization
          Racial inequality
          Racial minorities
      keyword:
        AI
        discrimination
        fairness
        inequality
      ab: Most definitions of algorithmic bias and fairness encode decision-maker interests, such as profits, rather than the interests of disadvantaged groups (e.g. racial minorities): bias is defined as a deviation from profit maximization. Future research should instead focus on the causal effect of automated decisions on the distribution of welfare, both across and within groups. The literature emphasizes some apparent contradictions between different notions of fairness, and between fairness and profits. These contradictions vanish, however, when profits are maximized. Existing work involves conceptual slippages between statistical notions of bias and misclassification errors, economic notions of profit, and normative notions of bias and fairness. Notions of bias nonetheless carry some interest within the welfare paradigm that I advocate for, if we understand bias and discrimination as mechanisms and potential points of intervention.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Literature Review
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: Y
      dt:
        @attributes:
          year: 2024
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N