Coded Bias

Coded Bias is a 2020 documentary directed by Shalini Kantayya that explores the hidden biases embedded in artificial intelligence systems and their real-world consequences. The film follows MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini as she uncovers how facial recognition technology fails to accurately identify people with darker skin tones, particularly women, due to biased training data and flawed algorithms. Through interviews with technologists, activists, and affected communities, the documentary reveals how AI systems used in hiring, criminal justice, healthcare, and other domains perpetuate and amplify existing societal inequalities.

The film argues that algorithmic bias is not a technical problem alone but a systemic issue rooted in who builds AI systems and whose data is used to train them. It documents Buolamwini's efforts to push for transparency and accountability in the AI industry, including her work on the Algorithmic Justice League. The documentary has become influential in raising public awareness about AI ethics and the need for regulation and oversight of algorithmic systems that affect human lives.