{"id":74981,"date":"2024-11-25T00:04:38","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T05:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=74981"},"modified":"2024-11-25T00:04:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T05:04:38","slug":"ai-harm-is-often-behind-the-scenes-and-builds-over-time-a-legal-scholar-explains-how-the-law-can-adapt-to-respond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/ai-harm-is-often-behind-the-scenes-and-builds-over-time-a-legal-scholar-explains-how-the-law-can-adapt-to-respond\/","title":{"rendered":"AI harm is often behind the scenes and builds over time \u2013 a legal scholar explains how the law can adapt to respond"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As you scroll through your social media feed or let your favorite music app curate the perfect playlist, it may feel like artificial intelligence is improving your life \u2013 learning your preferences and serving your needs. But lurking behind this convenient facade is a growing concern: algorithmic harms.<\/p>\n

These harms aren\u2019t obvious or immediate. They\u2019re insidious, building over time as AI systems quietly make decisions about your life without you even knowing it. The hidden power of these systems is becoming\u00a0a significant threat<\/a>\u00a0to privacy, equality, autonomy and safety.<\/p>\n

AI systems are embedded in nearly every facet of modern life. They suggest\u00a0what shows and movies you should watch<\/a>, help employers\u00a0decide whom they want to hire<\/a>, and even influence judges to\u00a0decide who qualifies for a sentence<\/a>. But what happens when these systems, often seen as neutral, begin making decisions that put certain groups at a disadvantage or, worse, cause real-world harm?<\/p>\n

The often-overlooked consequences of AI applications call for regulatory frameworks that can keep pace with this rapidly evolving technology. I\u00a0study the intersection of law and technology<\/a>, and I\u2019ve outlined\u00a0a legal framework<\/a>\u00a0to do just that.<\/p>\n

Slow burns<\/strong><\/h4>\n

One of the most striking aspects of algorithmic harms is that their cumulative impact often flies under the radar. These systems typically don\u2019t directly assault your privacy or autonomy in ways you can easily perceive. They gather vast amounts of data about people \u2014 often without their knowledge \u2014 and use this data\u00a0to shape decisions affecting people\u2019s lives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, this results in minor inconveniences, like an advertisement that follows you across websites. But as AI operates without addressing these repetitive harms, they can scale up, leading to significant cumulative damage across diverse groups of people.<\/p>\n

Consider the example of social media algorithms. They are ostensibly designed to promote beneficial social interactions. However, behind their seemingly beneficial facade, they silently track users\u2019 clicks and\u00a0compile profiles of their political beliefs, professional affiliations and personal lives<\/a>. The data collected is\u00a0used in systems that make consequential decisions<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 whether you are identified as a jaywalking pedestrian, considered for a job or flagged as a risk to commit suicide.<\/p>\n

Worse, their addictive design\u00a0traps teenagers in cycles of overuse<\/a>, leading to escalating mental health crises, including anxiety, depression and self-harm. By the time you grasp the full scope, it\u2019s too late \u2014 your privacy has been breached, your opportunities shaped by biased algorithms, and the safety of the most vulnerable undermined, all without your knowledge.<\/p>\n

This is what I call \u201cintangible, cumulative harm<\/a>\u201d: AI systems operate in the background, but their impacts can be devastating and invisible.<\/p>\n