“The most important goal I had in mind was to convince people to stop blindly trusting algorithms and assuming that they are inherently fair and objective.” PeopleMindImportantGoalFairsAssumingObjectivesConvinceAlgorithms Author:Cathy O'Neil
“I wanted to prevent people from giving them too much power. I see that as a pattern. I wanted that to come to an end as soon as possible.” PeopleGivingEndsWantedToo MuchPatternsToo Much Power Author:Cathy O'Neil
“I would argue that one of the major problems with our blind trust in algorithms is that we can propagate discriminatory patterns without acknowledging any kind of intent.” KindProblemMajorsBlindPatternsArguingAlgorithmsMajor ProblemsBlind Trust Author:Cathy O'Neil
“I know how models are built, because I build them myself, so I know that I'm embedding my values into every single algorithm I create and I am projecting my agenda onto those algorithms.” KnowsValuesKnow HowModelsBuiltAgendasAlgorithmsEmbedding Author:Cathy O'Neil
“There's less of a connection for a lot of people between the technical decisions we make and the ethical ramifications we are responsible for.” PeopleDecisionConnectionsResponsibleEthicalRamificationsDecisions We Make Author:Cathy O'Neil
“For whatever reason, I have never separated the technical from the ethical.” ReasonEthical Author:Cathy O'Neil
“When I think about whether I want to take a job, I don't just think about whether it's technically interesting, although I do consider that. I also consider the question of whether it's good for the world.” ThinkingWorldWantJobsInteresting Author:Cathy O'Neil
“So much of our society as a whole is gearing us to maximize our salary or bonus. Basically, we just think in terms of money. Or, if not money, then, if you're in academia, it's prestige. It's a different kind of currency. And there's this unmeasured dimension of all jobs, which is whether it's improving the world.” IfsThinkingWorldKindDifferentWholeJobsTermDimensionsOur SocietyDifferent KindsCurrencyImprovingSalaryPrestigeAcademiaBonus Author:Cathy O'Neil
“The training one receives when one becomes a technician, like a data scientist - we get trained in mathematics or computer science or statistics - is entirely separated from a discussion of ethics.” ComputerTrainingEthicsScientistMathematicsDataDiscussionStatisticsComputer ScienceTechnicians Author:Cathy O'Neil
“Most people don't have any association in their minds with what they do and with ethics. They think they somehow moved past the questions of morality or values or ethics, and that's something that I've never imagined to be true.” PeopleThinkingMindPastValuesMoralityEthicsMovedBeing TrueAssociation Author:Cathy O'Neil