Fairness in AI and Its Long-Term Implications on Society

Ondrej Bohdal, Timothy Hospedales, Philip Torr, Fazl Barez

Abstract: Successful deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in various settings has led to numerous positive outcomes for individuals and society. However, AI systems have also been shown to harm parts of the population due to biased predictions. We take a closer look at AI fairness and analyse how lack of AI fairness can lead to deepening of biases over time and act as a social stressor. If the issues persist, it could have undesirable long-term implications on society, reinforced by interactions with other risks. We examine current strategies for improving AI fairness, assess their limitations in terms of real-world deployment, and explore potential paths forward to ensure we reap AI’s benefits without harming significant parts of the society.