TBD | Is This the End of Facial Recognition?

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Slate Podcasts

News, Daily News, News Commentary

4.3 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 12 June 2020

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, three of the leading developers of facial-recognition technology announced they would stop, or at least pause, selling this technology to police. The decision stems from evidence of racial bias inherent in these tools. For the researchers who first uncovered the deep-seated issues with these tools, it’s a watershed moment. Will facial-recognition technology continue to grow unchecked? Or will this week’s announcements result in lasting change? Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Guest: Deb Raji, technology fellow at the AI Now Institute. Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, everyone. Before we get started, I just want to note that today's episode about facial recognition technology is a developing story.
0:07.8	Things are moving quickly and may have changed even since we recorded this.
0:12.5	Okay, here's the show.
0:18.5	Hello?
0:20.2	Hello?
0:21.0	Hi, Deb.
0:22.1	Hey, how are you?
0:23.7	On Wednesday night, I called up Deb Rodge.
0:26.6	Deb works on identifying bias in artificial intelligence, and she audits companies for how their AIs perform.
0:33.4	When I called her, Deb was at a loss for words.
0:36.4	Oh my gosh.
0:38.3	Yeah, things are moving so quickly. Oh my gosh.
0:42.1	Every few minutes, her phone was lighting up with texts and calls from friends and colleagues.
0:47.5	Because Deb studies bias in facial recognition software.
0:51.6	And this week has been one of the most eventful ones of her career.
0:56.1	IBM said that it is getting rid of their facial recognition programs.
1:00.0	The company is also calling for a public debate on law enforcement's use of it.
1:03.8	On Monday, IBM sent a letter to Congress saying it was getting out of the facial recognition business.
1:10.4	The letter also urged lawmakers to look at how technology is being used for mass surveillance and racial profiling.
1:17.0	Amazon says it is temporarily banning police and law enforcement from using its controversial facial recognition software.
1:24.4	Then on Wednesday, Amazon announced that it too was backing away from facial recognition,
1:29.6	putting a year-long pause on letting law enforcement use its platform.
	...

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