Unveiling the Hidden Bias: AI's Role in Addressing Skin Color Discrimination
Sony AI researchers argue that current skin tone scales used to test AI algorithms for bias are limited in their focus on lightness or darkness of skin tone, overlooking biases against individuals with red and yellow skin hues. They propose a more "multidimensional" measurement of skin color based on the CIELAB color standard to address this issue and create more diverse and representative AI systems. The researchers found that current scales overrepresent lighter and redder skin tones, leading to less accurate AI systems. While some major AI players, including Google and Amazon, have welcomed Sony's research, others argue that simplicity is important in skin tone scales to ensure cognitive accuracy and reliability.