Gmail Product Manager Paul Lambert said that the Smart Compose team has tried a number of solutions that would allow the gender-based pronouns to still be used, but none were 100 percent successful at eliminating the potential for bias. Fortunately, Lambert also said that less than 1 percent of suggestion cases are affected, so the change shouldn’t be too difficult for Gmail’s team or its users.
Gmail’s Smart Compose algorithm no longer uses what words?
Answer: Gender-specific pronouns.
Google recently revealed the change, which will hopefully stamp out any gender bias in the algorithm. According to Reuters, the issue was discovered when a research scientist with the company wrote about meeting an investor, and the system suggested “Do you want to meet him?” as a follow-up question, assuming the investor was male.
Gmail Product Manager Paul Lambert said that the Smart Compose team has tried a number of solutions that would allow the gender-based pronouns to still be used, but none were 100 percent successful at eliminating the potential for bias. Fortunately, Lambert also said that less than 1 percent of suggestion cases are affected, so the change shouldn’t be too difficult for Gmail’s team or its users.
Gmail Product Manager Paul Lambert said that the Smart Compose team has tried a number of solutions that would allow the gender-based pronouns to still be used, but none were 100 percent successful at eliminating the potential for bias. Fortunately, Lambert also said that less than 1 percent of suggestion cases are affected, so the change shouldn’t be too difficult for Gmail’s team or its users.
