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Gender Differences and Bias in Artificial Intelligence

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Gender in AI and Robotics

Part of the book series: Intelligent Systems Reference Library ((ISRL,volume 235))

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is supporting decisions in ways that increasingly affect humans in many aspects of their lives. Both autonomous and decision-support systems applying AI algorithms and data-driven models are used for decisions about justice, education, physical and psychological health, and to provide or deny access to credit, healthcare, and other essential resources, in all aspects of daily life, in increasingly ubiquitous and sometimes ambiguous ways. Too often systems are built without considering human factors associated with their use, such as gender bias. The need for clarity about the correct way to employ such systems is an an increasingly critical aspect of design, implementation, and presentation. Models and systems provide results that are difficult to interpret and are blamed for being good or bad, whereas only the design of such tools is good or bad, and the necessary training for them to be integrated into human values. This chapter aims at discussing the most evident issues about gender bias in AI and exploring possible solutions for the impact on humans of AI and decision support algorithms, with a focus on how to integrate gender balance principles into data sets, AI agents, and in general in scientific research.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    At the moment this page is written, the world is facing a critical step back in gender equality in Arabic countries, with Afghanistan facing the renewed arrival of Talibans’ command. Clear data about this part of the world are still not available. ISIS is bombing Kabul’s airport to force people to stay under the Sharia Islamic rules, where women are limited in which in other countries are considered human rights. Students and researchers accepted in foreign universities cannot exit the country. Women are abandoning their children in the arms of the US army and European ambassadors, hoping for them to be transported outside Afghanistan.

  2. 2.

    Note of the author: It is such a difficult situation to live in that I had difficulty getting to sleep while writing these paragraphs because it is a worrying situation with a dark past and future, and it can be emotionally challenging for any woman in the field, even to speak about it. Many studies and surverys are circulating to track such issues, all of them are anonymous to the aim to protect the freedom of speech.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Perugia, Via Vanvitelli 1, Perugia, 06123, Italy

    Valentina Franzoni

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  1. Valentina Franzoni
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Correspondence to Valentina Franzoni .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ICREA Acadèmia, Department of Philosophy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain

    Jordi Vallverdú

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Franzoni, V. (2023). Gender Differences and Bias in Artificial Intelligence. In: Vallverdú, J. (eds) Gender in AI and Robotics. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, vol 235. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21606-0_2

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