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    Ageism in AI: new forms of age discrimination and exclusion in the era of algorithms and artificial intelligence (AGEAI)

    Abstract

    The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise for the economy and society. However, it also brings forth risks concerning social equality, privacy, fairness, and accountability. Recent studies have shed light on significant race and gender biases in algorythmic systems, revealing how AI can negatively impact marginalized groups. Surprisingly, the category of age, crucial for social inclusion and equality in aging societies, has been largely overlooked in research and policy on AI bias.

    The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed how older groups endure disproportionate social exclusion due to limited access to digital resources and literacy. Despite this evidence, the role of AI systems in exacerbating these inequalities has only recently come under scrutiny. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concerns that unchecked AI technologies may perpetuate existing ageism in society, compromising the quality of health and social care for older people (WHO, 2022). Yet, the extent and various forms of ageism in AI remain largely unexplored, making it a relatively uncharted territory.

    To bridge this gap, our interdisciplinary study aims to delve into the subject of ageism in AI, seeking to understand its implications and potential consequences for older individuals and the broader society. The aim of the AGEAI project is to critically assess how ageism operates in AI systems, products, services, and infrastructure by focusing on critical areas of AI deployment (healthcare, employment/hiring systems, mobility and transport, financial services, face recognition). The AI technology developed in those areas has been recognized as “high-risk” by the proposed EU AI Act (2022) and will need to be rigorously scrutinized to meet the standards of trustworthy, human centered and fair AI.

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    Projekt Updates

    Science communication

    We are happy to inform that our team received additional funding for the science communication strategy. Our projekt Algorithmic fairness in ageing societies: (re-)imagining a better future   focusing on age bias and discrimination in algorithmic systems.

    In cooperation with:

    - Future Probes

    - Karina Villavicencio

    - Prof. Rüya Gökhan Koçer

    - Dr. Vânia de la Fuente-Núñez

    - AGE Platform Europe

    We are loooking forward to starting this exciting endeavor

    Projekt updates

    Science Communication

    We are happy to announce that we received an additional grant from Volkswagen Foundation to implement Science Communication measures. The project “Algorithmic fairness in ageing societies: (re-)imagining better future” will address the multifaceted impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society, focusing on age bias and discrimination in algorithmic systems. The primary objective of this science communication project is to raise awareness and knowledge regarding the issue of age bias in algorithmic systems, as well as increase critical reflection about this issue. We target three main groups: older persons, data scientists/AI developers, and stakeholders, each with tailored activities aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of age bias in AI. In collaboration with partners from arts, civil society and advocacy, we will organize participatory workshops with older persons, video performance and art vernissage, a hackathon for data scientist and two socio-political events held in Berlin and Brussels to engage with policy makers and develop recommendations.

    Projekt Updates

    Conference

    Justyna Stypinska and Ruya Kocer participated in the Inaugural conference of Fairness Cluster March 19-20, 2024. They presented the results of their research in the age and gender bias in algorithmic credit scoring systems at the workshop following the conference.

    Find details on the Inaugural Conference: https://www.biasproject.eu/event/ai-fairness-cluster-inaugural-conferen…

    Find details on the workshop programm: https://fairnesscluster.github.io/aimmes23.github.io/program.html

    Scietific poster: https://cloud.wzb.eu/s/qej9fqeNe4kxKKE

    Project Updates

    Conference

    Our team took part in the conference "Theorizing Ageing in a Digital World" in Utrecht on September 28-29, 2023. Presentation: "Age bias in algorithms and automatic decision-making systems - a new source of inequalities in digitalized society".

    Projekt Updates

    Presentation

    Our team presented the lecture "Many Worlds of AI" at the University of Cambridge on April 26-28, 2023