Uber Eats AI Bias Settlement: Uber Eats Settles Lawsuit with Pa Edrissa Manjang
Uber Eats is a widely used food delivery platform. It has only settled a lawsuit over suspected racial bias in its AI systems. Pa Edrissa Manjang filed the lawsuit. It is a black courier who has been using the app since November 2019 for food delivery jobs. Manjang appealed that the company’s facial recognition checks prevented him from accessing the app. It also led to his account being suspended and finally terminated.
This case has highlighted the issues surrounding the transparency of automated systems and the willingness of UK law to handle problems arising from the use of AI. Manjang’s account was suspended and terminated following a failed ID check and an automated process. It found “continued mismatches” in the photos of his face. This incident raised questions about the equality and accuracy of AI systems, chiefly those used in identity verification.
Sustained by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the App Drivers & Couriers Union (ADCU), Manjang filed legal claims against Uber in October 2021. After years of court cases, Uber offered a payment to settle. Manjang accepted the payment. The terms of the financial settlement have not been disclosed.
Despite the settlement, Uber has not publicly accepted that its systems or processes were at fault. The company preserves that facial recognition checks are backed by “robust human review” and that courier accounts cannot be terminated due to AI assessments alone. This statement from Uber raises further questions about the role of AI in decision-making processes and the potential for bias in these systems.
The settlement of this lawsuit symbolizes a substantial moment in the ongoing debate about AI transparency and accountability. It highlights the need for companies to ensure their AI systems are fair and unbiased. They also need the laws to be updated to protect individuals from potential harm caused by these systems.
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