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AI & Society

Homework: Reflect on Readings

Background

You are assigned readings throughout this course. The readings cover subjects including design, AI and ethics. Each week, you are asked to reflect on your readings, to help you get the most out of the material, and be properly prepared for next week’s course. 

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity you will have gained a deeper understanding of this week’s readings, and will have summarized the core ideas in the papers in your own words, so that you can work with them in the course going forward.

Instructions

  • In your personal notebook, create an entry for each of the questions below, with an answer to the question in your own words.
  • Questions for Crawford & Paglen (2019)
    1. The authors argue that assembling a training dataset is not only a technological project, but also a political one. Why?
    2. The authors describe the anatomy of a training dataset, consisting of three parts. Can you name each part and describe how they relate?
    3. The authors argue that solving the problem of bias and fairness by making a dataset more granular, balanced and inclusive is not sufficient. Why is this the case? And what alternative approach do they advocate for?
  • Questions for Gebru et al. (2020)
    1. The paper describes the relationship between datasets and machine learning models. How would you describe this relationship?
    2. The paper argues for the use of datasheets in machine learning. Why do the authors feel this is necessary?
    3. How would you describe what a datasheet is?
    4. The authors say that a datasheet should not be automatically created, but should always be created manually. Why do they feel this is necessary?
    5. The paper lists a number of challenges related to the creation and maintenance of datasheets. Select one challenge that you think is interesting and briefly summarise it.

Product

The result of this activity is a collection of notes, each with a summary of one idea in the assigned readings, described in your own words, captured in your personal notebook.

Follow-up

You will use the ideas generated in this way in next week’s session’s activities.