Discrimination in the age of artificial intelligence

• DOI: 10.1007/s00146-021-01192-2
• Publication Date: 2021-04-04T18:13:51Z
• Authors: Bert Heinrichs
• Keywords: 05 social sciences; info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/360; 10. No inequality; 0505 law

AbstractIn this paper, I examine whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making (ADM) aggravates issues of discrimination as has been argued by several authors. For this purpose, I first take up the lively philosophical debate on discrimination and present my own definition of the concept. Equipped with this account, I subsequently review some of the recent literature on the use AI/ADM and discrimination. I explain how my account of discrimination helps to understand that the general claim in view of the aggravation of discrimination is unwarranted. Finally, I argue that the use of AI/ADM can, in fact, increase issues of discrimination, but in a different way than most critics assume: it is due to its epistemic opacity that AI/ADM threatens to undermine our moral deliberation which is essential for reaching a common understanding of what should count as discrimination. As a consequence, it turns out that algorithms may actually help to detect hidden forms of discrimination.