Are Biased Algorithms Even Preventable‪?‬ Machine Learning in Action

Technology promises a wide range of efficiencies; one of the most promising and yet elusive is the removal of human bias from decision making. A recent paper published by New York University (NYU) researchers presents a glimmer of hope for a less biased future. The study found that during Covid-19, “the majority of Black borrowers who received aid from the $800 billion relief program got their loan from a financial technology company, not a bank.” The study explains that fin-tech companies and large banks that employed algorithms and automation demonstrated higher rates of loan approvals for Black borrowers compared to small banks not using the technology.