“Technology is not neutral. We’re inside of what we make and it’s inside of us.” Prominent feminist scholar of science and technology studies, Donna Haraway, quipped this in a 1997 interview with Wired. That idea checks out when applied to this recent story out of Canada. The nutshell scoop is that Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, a Juno Award-winning musician, was falsely labeled a sex offender by Google in an AI-generated summary, leading to a cancelled concert. It’s not surprising that human made technology such as AI shares a propensity for inaccurate fear mongering and sex-predator paranoia with its makers. The cancelled event’s hosts – a First Nation north of Halifax – now regret this decision, which was made on behalf of false information. “We deeply regret the harm this caused to your reputation and livelihood,” read a post from the organizers. “Chief and council value your artistry, contribution to the cultural life of the Maritimes, and your commitment to reconciliation,” continued the public apology. MacIsaac suspects a cancelled event earlier in the year was similarly caused by AI, and he’s already been offered pro bono representation from multiple firms should he wish to pursue litigation. Google has yet to issue an apology. Don’t hold your breath!
AI Wrongly Makes Sex Offender Accusations
