, Columnist
Look Who's Fighting Our Algorithmic Overlords
Researchers and politicians are trying to make "black boxes" more accountable.
Beware of inscrutable robots.
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Computer algorithms play an increasingly important role in running the world -- filtering news, assessing prospective employees, even deciding when to set prisoners free. All too often, though, their creators don’t make them adequately accountable to the people whose lives they affect.
It’s thus good to see some researchers and politicians starting to do something about it.