As a proud product of Fairfax County Schools, a graduate of the University of Virginia (History, minor Foriegn Affairs CLAS 00), and holder of a Master’s in Education from Virginia Tech, I stand as a testament to the power of knowledge and education. This post is dedicated to my mother, Pamela Jean Boyd, who was a devoted teacher, and my grandfather, John C. Boyd, who received an award from the National Security Agency. Both instilled in me a reverence for learning and the transformative power of information. Furthermore, this is a tribute to my children, whom I’ve had the privilege to homeschool, nourishing their minds with the same love for education.
My academic journey led me to study profound works that have significantly influenced societal understanding and policies, such as “The Bell Curve” by Charles Murray, and the devastating consequences of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”. These studies have sharpened my understanding of the potential unintended consequences of ideologies, policies, and systems that are not critically examined.
Currently, as a data scientist who shapes data policy and someone who assisted her ex-husband in patenting a drug for Sickle Cell Anemia, I find myself at the crossroads of numerous critical pathways. With one foot in the world of healthcare and the other in tech, my concerns about the future of AI are both professional and deeply personal. The vast amount of data stored on Google servers over the past 20 years, coupled with potential misuse, is deeply worrying. The dystopian world painted by Orwell in “Animal Farm” and “1984” serves as a stark reminder of the potential perils if technology and data are not wielded responsibly.
Reflecting on the recent roll back of Affirmative Action, I am concerned about how it may further contribute to the misuse of this technology. Affirmative Action has been a significant driver in creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, and its absence could lead to further biases in AI systems, especially if the data used to train these models lack diversity.
I am inspired by the legacy of black mathematicians and scientists like Katherine Johnson, whose invaluable contributions have often been overlooked, despite their pivotal role in protecting America and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. The story of Johnson and many others like her underlines the importance of diversity and representation in all fields, including AI and data science.
As we navigate this digital age, it’s crucial to be wary of these potential pitfalls and to implement safeguards to protect our privacy, ensure fairness, and maintain transparency. We must harness the power of AI responsibly, ensuring it becomes a force for good that enhances our lives rather than a tool for manipulation and control. The legacy of overlooked black mathematicians and scientists serves as a reminder of the richness of diversity and the need for its presence in the development and application of AI.
Eugenics and Medical Research
An essential aspect of understanding the potential misuse of AI and data is to investigate the systemic use of data in various sectors. This includes:
Credit Scores: Data is collected from a variety of sources, including loan repayment history, credit card usage, and public records, to determine creditworthiness.
Education: Student performance data, demographic information, and behavioral data are often collected to assist in educational planning and policy-making.
Health: Medical history, genetic information, and lifestyle data are collected for diagnosis, treatment, and health policy decisions.
The use of data in such sensitive areas underscores the need for caution and transparency. Moreover, it brings to light the historical misuse of data and science, particularly in the context of eugenics and medical research.
Eugenics, a movement that aimed at improving the genetic composition of the human race through selective breeding, had a profound impact on American policy in the early 20th century. It led to forced sterilizations and restrictive immigration laws, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities and ethnic minorities.
In the context of medical research, the work of Harriet A. Washington in “Medical Apartheid” documents a long, disturbing history of medical experimentation on African Americans. Her research highlights the systemic racism present in medical practices and policies, a form of Environmental Racism, where minority communities are disproportionately burdened with health hazards due to poor environmental practices.
These historical missteps underscore the importance of ensuring fairness, transparency, and ethical considerations in our current use of data and AI. We must remember the lessons of the past, to avoid repeating them in our future.
Further Reading
1. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot – This book explores the story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose cells were used without her consent to advance numerous medical breakthroughs.
2. “Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present” by Harriet A. Washington – This book delves into the history of medical experimentation on African Americans.
3. “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson – The Pulitzer Prize-winning author narrates the story of the migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life.
4. “The Holocaust: A New History” by Laurence Rees – This book gives a detailed account of the Holocaust, based on the testimonies of victims, perpetrators, and bystanders.
5. “War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America’s Campaign to Create a Master Race” by Edwin Black – This book details the history of the American eugenics movement in the early 20th century.
6. “Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck” by Adam Cohen – The book tells the story of Carrie Buck, a victim of forced sterilization in Virginia in the 1920s.
7. “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein – The author explores how American cities became racially divided as a direct result of laws and policy decisions.
8. “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America” by Ibram X. Kendi – This book chronicles the entire story of anti-Black racist ideas from their origins in fifteenth-century Portugal to modern America.
9. “Auschwitz: A Doctor’s Eyewitness Account” by Miklós Nyiszli – This book provides a chilling account of the horrors of Auschwitz from a Jewish doctor forced to work under Dr. Josef Mengele.
10. “Night” by Elie Wiesel – A memoir written by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, it recounts his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.