HomeBlogGenerative AI Impact of AI on Social Inequality

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Impact of AI on Social Inequality

Alec Foster2023-01-05

Generative AI, AI Models

Image by Max Gruber / Better Images of AI / Clickworker Abyss / CC-BY 4.0

As the proliferation of artificial intelligence continues to permeate society, it is imperative that we contemplate the potential ramifications it may have on social inequality. One of the most pernicious ways in which AI can exacerbate inequality is through the reinforcement of biases embedded in the data on which it is trained.

For instance, if an AI system is employed in the hiring process and is trained on data that contains biases against certain groups, it may make decisions that disproportionately disadvantage those groups. This could result in the exclusion of certain marginalized communities from employment opportunities, thereby compounding existing disparities. Analogously, if an AI system is utilized in loan decisions and is trained on data that is discriminatory against certain groups, it may unjustly deny them access to credit, further exacerbating financial inequalities.

Moreover, the automation of certain jobs through AI may also have a disparate impact on certain groups. For example, if AI is utilized to automate low-skilled jobs, it could result in the displacement of workers who may already be facing economic insecurity, exacerbating existing economic inequalities.

To ameliorate the negative effects of AI on social inequality, it is crucial that those implementing the technology consider the potential consequences and take steps to mitigate them. This could include regularly reviewing and auditing the data used to train algorithms to ensure its neutrality, increasing transparency in the decision-making process, and promoting public oversight of the use of AI.

In addition, it is vital to address the root causes of social and economic inequalities that may contribute to the biased data used to train AI systems. This could include implementing policies such as equal pay for equal work, affordable housing, and access to education and training.

While the use of AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements, it is crucial to carefully consider the potential impact on social inequality and take steps to mitigate it. AI platform and application developers must work to ensure that AI is used in a way that is fair and benefits society as a whole.


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Alec Foster

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License.

Alec Foster

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License.