Tulsa Businesswoman Works To Find Bias In Artificial Intelligence

A Tulsa businesswoman is doing her part to try to make artificial intelligence less biased for its users. It's an issue that's become more noticeable as more people use AI.

As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, big tech companies are being encouraged by the White House to allow their systems to be checked for harmful bias and discrimination.

Kelsey Davis isn't a hacker; she's the founder of Cllctve, a website that connects creative professionals to brands that need their services.

"…like photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and we make it easier for creators to get paid," says Daivs.

Davis works closely with online technology, which is why she recently found herself joining Tulsa's Black Tech Street on a trip to DefCon, a hacking conference in Las Vegas. Their main goal was to find racial bias in AI systems before they were released to the public.  

"One, we realized AI can often be racist, and I think that's just because humans can be," says Davis.

She says she asked an AI chatbot how a white student would get into a historically black college.

"The data points that it pulled to quantify merit were extremely prejudiced and based on stereotypes, right, so things like because I can run fast because I can jump high because I can dance well," says Davis.

She's not happy these flaws in AI exist, but she is happy that they can be found in a controlled environment first.

"I enjoy having an opportunity to identify problems before they affect and harm people," she says.

Davis says these types of flaws could affect her business as well.

"And we don't want something like that in something like staffing, for example, in recruiting, because imagine the biases that can exist there," says Davis.

As AI continues to grow and evolve, people like Davis want to make sure it’s programmed to help more than it hurts.