Dec 22, 2020 - Economy

AI could amplify racial discrimination in housing

Ursula Perano

Axios' Russell Contreras (L) and National Fair Housing Alliance CEO Lisa Rice (R). Photo courtesy of Axios Events

Racial biases in technology and artificial intelligence can amplify discrimination in the housing market for people of color, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance Lisa Rice said at an Axios Event aired Tuesday.

Why it matters: AI is playing a larger role in housing decisions like tenant selections and loan approvals. The tech holds the potential to aid people of color and others who have historically faced discrimination on this front — but only with proper care for both algorithms and training data, Axios' chief technology correspondent Ina Fried wrote earlier this year.

What they're saying: "People have this erroneous belief that computers or technological systems cannot see race. Nothing is further from the truth. In fact, computers and technologically based systems, A.I., artificially intelligent systems can see race. Those systems can see national origin, and they don't dissipate the bias that is already existent in the marketplace," Rice said.

"They mirror and reflect the bias that is existence already in our marketplace. And sometimes they actually amplify the bias that is replete throughout the market."

Go deeper: Race and housing in America

Watch the full event here.

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AI could amplify racial discrimination in housing

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