Aaron Roth & Michael Kearns on Ethical Algorithms

In this episode, Aaron Roth and Michael Kearns, both professors of computer science at the University of Pennsylvania, discuss their new book, The Ethical Algorithm (Oxford U. Press 2020). This wide-ranging interview covers issues related to privacy, fairness, and explainable algorithms. The interview has three parts. First, Aaron and Michael explain the goal, process, and limits of differential private data. Second, they discuss various definitions of fairness in algorithmic decision-making and point out that simultaneously maximizing fairness along several dimensions may be impossible to achieve. Finally, they briefly discuss how an inscrutable, “black box” algorithm can be made to produce explainable decisions in specific contexts. Most interestingly, the authors provide several examples of how the process of translating laws into specific directions that machine learning models can follow may demonstrate that our laws are asking for the impossible. For example, it may be impossible to create a credit-underwriting algorithm that is “fair” to both women and black borrowers at the same time despite what the Equal Credit Opportunity Act purports to require. Roth and Kearns are both on Twitter at @Aaroth and @mkearnsupenn, respectively. This episode was hosted by Matthew Bruckner, an associate professor of law at Howard University School of Law. He is on Twitter at @Prof_Bruckner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

Ipse Dixit is a podcast on legal scholarship. Each episode of Ipse Dixit features a different guest discussing their scholarship. The podcast also features several special series."From the Archives" consists historical recordings potentially of interest to legal scholars and lawyers."The Homicide Squad" consists of investigations of the true stories behind different murder ballads, as well as examples of how different musicians have interpreted the song over time."The Day Antitrust Died?" is co-hosted with Ramsi Woodcock, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky College of Law, and consists of oral histories of the 1974 Airlie House Conference on antitrust law, a pivotal moment in the history of antitrust theory and policy.The hosts of Ipse Dixit are:Brian L. Frye, Spears-Gilbert Associate Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky College of LawLuce Nguyen, a student at Oberlin College and the co-founder of the Oberlin Policy Research Institute, an undergraduate public policy organization based at Oberlin CollegeMaybell Romero, Assistant Professor of Law at Northern Illinois University College of LawAntonia Eliason, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Mississippi School of LawSaurabh Vishnubhakat, Associate Professor of Law at Texas A&M School of LawJohn Culhane, Professor of Law at Widener University Delaware Law SchoolBenjamin Edwards, Associate Professor of Law at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of LawMatthew Bruckner, Associate Professor of Law at Howard University School of LawComments and suggestions are always welcome at brianlfrye@gmail.com. You can follow the Ipse Dixit on Twitter at @IpseDixitPod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.