Coded Bias

Coded Bias is a compelling documentary revolving around the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its socio-political impacts and implications. The movie creates a profound conversation about what the future holds for us with the rapidly broadening presence of AI in every sphere of life. The film, directed by Shalini Kantayya, stars Joy Buolamwini, Meredith Broussard, and Cathy O'Neil.

The riveting narrative of Coded Bias starts with Joy Buolamwini, a young, enthusiastic researcher at the MIT Media Lab. She becomes troubled when she discovers that the facial-recognition AI she is working on struggles to identify her face accurately just because of her skin colour. Her personal encounter with the bias integrated into AI systems paves the way to an eye-opening journey, probing further into the intricate infrastructure of algorithmic discrimination.

Buolamwini's computer program detection ordeal underlines the intrinsic prejudices hidden in the very heart of AI technologies — a painful implication of the largely homogenous pool of white, male programmers responsible for the coding of these systems. Simultaneously, Coded Bias also offers an appreciable perspective of the global panopticon — a network of interconnected surveillance systems — where our every move, every click, is possibly monitored, recorded, and commoditized.

Meredith Broussard – data journalist and AI researcher – and Cathy O'Neil – mathematician and data scientist – join Buolamwini in her pursuit to comprehend the magnitude and gravity of this technocratic order. Together, they unravel the opaque and complex web of algorithmic governance that mostly remains hidden from the eyes of everyday users.

Coded Bias delves deeper into alarming scenarios where technological algorithms, devised by Silicon Valley technocrats, have misjudged and affected countless lives adversely. The question of accountability and regulation of AI systems comes into the limelight as the film explores cases from the United States to the United Kingdom.

Shalini Kantayya's Coded Bias exudes a blend of rigorous scientific inquiry and empathetic storytelling. The film prompts us to question the potential implications of outsourcing our decisions and trust to mechanized systems. As these personalized algorithmic systems silently slip into the significant parts of our lives — recruitment, law enforcement, credit scoring, to name a few — how much of it can we allow to stay unregulated? How can we ensure fairness and justice when subjective biases have been unwittingly coded into these supposedly objective systems?

The film offers a stirring narrative entrenched in real-life experiences, grappling with the inherent 'coded bias.' It leaves an indomitable mark on viewers' minds, nudging them to question accepted practices and think critically about the emerging AI-dominated world.

Taken together, Coded Bias is a distillation of in-depth research, chilling findings, and human stories stitched together by Shalini Kantayya. It serves as a rallying cry for greater oversight, transparency, and democratic control over the AI and algorithmic systems that increasingly govern our lives.

Coded Bias is a captivating journey, intertwining the present lives and future of humankind. The movie is not only an exploration of AI narratives but is also an extraordinary call to action. This film is an invaluable watch, especially in an era where a colossal chunk of human interaction, communication, and dependency leans towards technology.