I am a high school junior in San Jose, CA. Recent protests against racial and gender bias in Amazon’s Rekognition software by both industry experts and consumers alike raise a serious point regarding artificial intelligence technology and its larger implications for society. Facial recognition software goes beyond iPhone login screens. It is imperative that biases in facial recognition software, which disproportionately misidentify women and people of color, are acknowledged and resolved. Silicon Valley’s tech companies have an obligation to ensure that the technologies they create cause no harm. Leaders of tech companies need to come together to establish an industry framework of ethical standards to prevent a future where the application of such technology exceeds our control of them.
