The idea that AI can replicate or amplify human prejudice, once argued mostly at the field's fringes, has been thoroughly absorbed into its mainstream: Everymajortechcompany now makes the necessary noise about "AI ethics."
Yes, but: A critical split divides AI reformers. On one side are the bias-fixers, who believe the systems can be purged of prejudice with a bit more math. (Big Tech is largely in this camp.) On the other side are the bias-blockers, who argue that AI has no place at all in some high-stakes decisions.
The personal banking information of about 29,000 Facebook employees was compromised last month after a thief stole hard drives from an employee's car, Bloomberg reports.
Details: The breach happened on Nov. 17, but Facebook realized it three days later and notified employees Friday. The unencrypted payroll data, which included no user data, included items like employee names, bank account numbers, the last four digits of Social Security numbers and compensation information.
Florida has become a hotbed for self-driving cars, thanks to its mild weather, unique demographics, lenient laws and an ambitious state senator.
Why it matters: States at the forefront of autonomous vehicle testing stand to reap the economic benefits — and perhaps problems, too — of self-driving cars.
Self-driving truck company Plus.ai says it completed the first coast-to-coast commercial freight run with an autonomous truck.
Why it matters: Driving both day and night, Plus.ai completed the 2,800-mile trip from Tulare, Calif., to Quakertown, Pa., in less than three days, an important milestone in validating the system’s ability to safely handle a wide range of weather and road conditions.
Tech companies have increasingly been participating as co-hosts or sponsors of political debates. But this cycle, two of the biggest tech giants, Facebook and Google, are so far noticeably absent from the Democratic primary debates.
Why it matters: Google and its video subsidiary YouTube, as well as Facebook, first partnered with TV networks for debates during the 2008 presidential cycle. Their presence has continued as a part of subsequent debates until this year.
