When we set the smart thermostat, give an online picture a thumbs-up or shop online, algorithms run through every step. What they do precisely is usually obscure and vague. Governments employ more and more artificial intelligence. The City of Amsterdam wants to be more transparent and is opening up about its efforts to the public. Along with the City of Helsinki, they launched the world’s first-ever open AI register, in which the inner workings of their algorithms are carefully explained and for the world to see.
Where and how do cities use algorithms?
The AI register is launched at the Next Generation Internet Summit. The goal of the register is to show where the city uses algorithms and how they are specifically used. This way they offer transparency to inhabitants of the city. They can now themselves check which steps are being taken by smart software and how they are affected by the code. What happens for example when they fill in an online form on a government website? Or when a parking attendant scans their license plate?