Algorithmic bias is being addressed now.

The Data & Trust Alliance[‘s], tapping corporate and outside experts, has devised a 55-question evaluation, which covers 13 topics, and a scoring system. The goal is to detect and combat algorithmic bias. “This is not just adopting principles, but actually implementing something concrete,” said Kenneth Chenault, co-chairman of the group and a former chief executive of American Express, which has agreed to adopt the anti-bias tool kit. The companies are responding to concerns, backed by an ample body of research, that A.I. programs can inadvertently produce biased results. Data is the fuel of modern A.I. software, so the data selected and how it is employed to make inferences are crucial. If the data used to train an algorithm is largely information about white men, the results will most likely be biased against minorities or women. Or if the data used to predict success at a company is based on who has done well at the company in the past, the result may well be an algorithmically reinforced version of past bias. Seemingly neutral data sets, when combined with others, can produce results that discriminate by race, gender or age. The group’s questionnaire, for example, asks about the use of such “proxy” data including cellphone type, sports affiliations and social club memberships. Governments around the world are moving to adopt rules and regulations. The European Union has proposed a regulatory framework for A.I. The White House is working on a “bill of rights” for A.I. In an advisory note to companies on the use of the technology, the Federal Trade Commission warned, “Hold yourself accountable — or be ready for the F.T.C. to do it for you.” The Data & Trust Alliance seeks to address the potential danger of powerful algorithms being used in work force decisions early rather than react after widespread harms are apparent, as Silicon Valley did on matters like privacy and the amplifying of misinformation. “We’ve got to move past the era of ‘move fast and break things and figure it out later,’” said Mr. Chenault, who was on the Facebook board for two years, until 2020. Corporate America is pushing programs for a more diverse work force. Mr. Chenault, who is now chairman of the venture capital firm General Catalyst, is one of the most prominent African Americans in business.