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GoogleGranted patentAI & softwareInterest 6/10

Google patents method to fix biased data in AI models

This patent describes a way to make artificial intelligence models fairer by adjusting how much each piece of training data matters. Instead of changing the labels or fixing the model after it is built, the system gives more or less importance to specific examples during the learning process to counteract known biases against certain groups.

Why it mattersIt offers a technical approach to reducing unfairness in automated decision-making systems, which is a growing concern for companies deploying AI in hiring, lending, or other sensitive areas.

In the filing’s own words

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for identifying and correcting label bias in machine learning via intelligent re-weighting of training examples. In particular, aspects of the present disclosure leverage a problem formulation which assumes the existence of underlying, unknown, and unbiased labels which are overwritten by an agent who intends to provide accurate labels but may have biases towards certain groups. Despite the fact that a biased training dataset provides only observations of the biased labels, the systems and methods described herein can nevertheless correct the bias by re-weighting the data points without changing the labels.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer-implemented method to reduce bias in a machine-learned classification model configured without post-processing bias calibration of model outputs, the method comprising: obtaining, by one or more computing devices, a training dataset comprising a plurality of training examples, each training example comprising an example input and a respective example label applied to the example input, wherein the example labels of the training dataset exhibit a bias against one or more subgroups of the example inputs; initializing, by the one or more computing devices, a plurality of weights that are respectively associated with the plurality of training examples; for each of one or more training iterations: determining, by the one or more computing devices, one or more constraint violation values for the machine-learned classification model on the training dataset relative to one or more fairness constraints applied to the one or more subgroups of the example inputs, wherein the one or more fairness constraints comprise a disparate impact constraint; updating, by the one or more computing devices, one or more re-weighting control values respectively associated with the one or more fairness constraints based at least in part on the one or more constraint violation values; modifying, by the one or more computing devices, at least one of the plurality of weights associated with the plurality of training examples based at least in part on the one or more re-weighting control values to form a plurality of modified weights; and re-training, by the one or more computing devices, the machine-learned classification model using the training dataset weighted according to the plurality of modified weights; wherein both a true positive re-weighting control value and a false positive re-weighting control value are associated with at least one of the one or more fairness constraints.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Identifying and correcting label bias in machine learning
Patent number
US12748983B2
Application number
17298766
Filed
Oct 16, 2019
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

G06N 5/022 Physics & computing

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.