A provocative new book called “Weapons of Math Destruction” has inspired some charged headlines. “Math Is Racist,” one asserts. “Math Is Biased Against Women and the Poor,” declares another. But author Cathy O’Neil’s message is more subtle: Math isn’t biased. People are biased. Dr. O’Neil, who received her Ph.D in mathematics from Harvard,...
Algorithms are subject to the bias of people that write them, according to Dr Cathy O’Neil. Photograph: In one example she describes how drivers in Florida with a clean driving record but poor credit paid are paid an average of $1,552 more than drivers with high-quality credit and a drink-driving conviction.