Race in the Machine: The Making of Algorithmic Bias

Though many may think of race as a social construct, exactly how race has been (and continues to be) constructed is often unclear, with deadly consequences. This panel discussion brings together scholars who investigate how racial categories are hidden in numerous technologies central to modern life—clinical algorithms, internet search engines, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. Working both within and beyond academia, these scholars investigate how race becomes embedded in technological systems and the harms that result. How can society better understand the idea of race through its relationship with technology, and how might one begin to untangle these systems to promote justice?

Following the program, attendees will have the opportunity to view the new exhibition Measurement on the Color Line: Scientific Instruments and the Making of Human Categories at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments

Presented by the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.