Postcolonial Differentials in Algorithmic Bias: Challenging Digital Neo-Colonialism in Africa

Sunita Menon
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Abstract

As digital technologies become the dominant driver of the global economy, Africa finds itself once again faced with the prospect of developmental stagnation. In an increasingly technological age, parallels to the colonial era can be made, particularly in reference to the detrimental impact on the African economy and the continent’s developmental trajectory. AI, which drives these technologies, is informed by algorithms. The biases inherent in these algorithms lead to digital discrimination. This discrimination has resulted in a new form of colonialism, referred to as digital neocolonialism, which denotes the exclusionary barrier that has been created by algorithms. This work challenges algorithmic bias through the application of postcolonial theory, which calls for a dismantling of colonial imposition by reimagining and reframing the concept of the ‘other’. The gaps in current AI systems, and the power imbalances created, are interrogated through an analysis of bias and its impact. Through a postcolonial lens, a call is made for more inclusive AI systems, and datasets that challenges the assumed neutrality of algorithms.
算法偏差中的后殖民差异:挑战非洲的数字新殖民主义
随着数字技术成为全球经济的主导动力,非洲再次面临发展停滞的前景。在一个技术日益发达的时代,可以与殖民时代相提并论,特别是在对非洲经济和非洲大陆发展轨迹的有害影响方面。驱动这些技术的人工智能是由算法提供信息的。这些算法固有的偏见导致了数字歧视。这种歧视导致了一种新形式的殖民主义,被称为数字新殖民主义,它指的是由算法创造的排他性障碍。这项工作通过应用后殖民理论挑战算法偏见,该理论要求通过重新想象和重构“他者”的概念来拆除殖民强加。通过对偏见及其影响的分析,研究了当前人工智能系统中的差距,以及由此产生的权力失衡。通过后殖民的视角,我们呼吁建立更具包容性的人工智能系统,以及挑战算法中立性的数据集。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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