When Humans Judge Other Humans Using Machines
Published in MIT Computational Law Report (Author: Renita Murimi), 2021
The role of intentions in determining important outcomes has been extensively studied. Uncovering intent remains a difficult and, at times, elusive quest where the outcomes have the potential for life-altering consequences. When machines are harnessed to aid in the decision-making process, the underlying algorithms, and thereby the inherent algorithmic biases, play a role in the outcomes of the process. This paper develops an analytical framework to study the role of human and machine perceptions of intentions and the resulting outcomes in the decision-making process. The work in this paper raises important questions about the impact of utilizing machines in judgments, and how machines are poised to deliver outcomes that are different from those of humans without adequate oversight and accountability.