Enhancing Fairness in Facial Recognition: Balancing Datasets and Leveraging AI-Generated Imagery for Bias Mitigation: A Study on Mitigating Ethnic and Gender Bias in Public Surveillance Systems
2024 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Facial recognition technology has become a ubiquitous tool in security and personal identification. However, the rise of this technology has been accompanied by concerns over inherent biases, particularly regarding ethnic and gender. This thesis examines the extent of these biases by focusing on the influence of dataset imbalances in facial recognition algorithms. We employ a structured methodological approach that integrates AI-generated images to enhance dataset diversity, with the intent to balance representation across ethnics and genders. Using the ResNet and Vgg model, we conducted a series of controlled experiments that compare the performance impacts of balanced versus imbalanced datasets. Our analysis includes the use of confusion matrices and accuracy, precision, recall and F1-score metrics to critically assess the model’s performance. The results demonstrate how tailored augmentation of training datasets can mitigate bias, leading to more equitable outcomes in facial recognition technology. We present our findings with the aim of contributing to the ongoing dialogue regarding AI fairness and propose a framework for future research in the field.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. , p. 71
Keywords [en]
Facial Recognition Technology, Algorithmic Bias, Dataset Imbalance, ethnic and Gender Representation, AI-Generated Images, ResNet Model, Vgg model, Model Performance Evaluation, Confusion Matrices, AI Fairness and Data Augmentation
National Category
Engineering and Technology Computer Sciences Computer and Information Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-130420OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-130420DiVA, id: diva2:1870691
Subject / course
Computer Science
Educational program
Network Security Programme, 180 credits
Supervisors
Examiners
2024-06-252024-06-142024-08-29Bibliographically approved