The Role of Demographic Data in Addressing Algorithmic Bias

A lack of clarity around the acceptable uses for demographic data has frequently been cited by PAI Partners as a barrier to addressing algorithmic bias in practice. This has led us to ask the question, “When and how should demographic data be collected and used in service of algorithmic bias detection and mitigation?” In response, the Partnership on AI is conducting a research project exploring access to and usage of demographic data as a barrier to detecting bias. We are presently conducting a series of interviews to better understand challenges that may prevent the detection or mitigation of algorithmic bias.