# Bias Mitigation Techniques
> [!metadata]- Metadata
> **Published:** [[2025-02-09|Feb 09, 2025]]
> **Tags:** #🌐 #learning-in-public #artificial-intelligence #ethical-ai #bias-mitigation
Techniques for addressing [[Algorithmic Bias]] in AI systems can be applied at different stages of the machine learning pipeline. These approaches aim to promote fairness and reduce discriminatory outcomes.
## Pre-Processing Techniques
Techniques applied to training data before model development:
1. **Reweighting**:
- Assigns different weights to training examples
- Balances representation across groups
- Compensates for historical biases
2. **Resampling**:
- Over-sampling minority groups
- Under-sampling majority groups
- Creates balanced class distribution
3. **Disparate Impact Remover**:
- Alters feature values
- Reduces disparities between groups
- Maintains predictive performance
4. **Fair Representation Learning**:
- Uses [[Variational Fair Autoencoders]]
- Creates bias-resistant data representations
- Promotes fairness in downstream tasks
## In-Processing Techniques
Techniques integrated into model training:
1. **[[Adversarial Debiasing]]**:
- Uses adversarial learning
- Removes sensitive information
- Balances accuracy and fairness
2. **Regularization**:
- Adds fairness terms to loss function
- Penalizes biased outcomes
- Guides model toward fair predictions
3. **Fairness Constraints**:
- Imposes explicit fairness criteria
- Ensures adherence to fairness metrics
- Optimizes for both performance and fairness
## Post-Processing Techniques
Techniques applied after model training:
1. **Threshold Adjustment**:
- Modifies decision thresholds per group
- Equalizes opportunity across groups
- Fine-tunes model outputs
2. **Calibration**:
- Ensures reliable probability predictions
- Adjusts confidence scores
- Improves fairness in probabilistic outputs
3. **Reject Option Classification**:
- Allows model to abstain from decisions
- Reduces high-risk unfair outcomes
- Provides human oversight option
## Evaluation and Monitoring
Continuous assessment through:
- Regular audits
- Fairness metrics tracking
- Performance monitoring
- Bias detection systems
## Implementation Considerations
1. **Context Specificity**:
- Choose techniques based on use case
- Consider domain requirements
- Align with [[Fairness Definitions]]
2. **Trade-offs**:
- Balance accuracy vs. fairness
- Consider computational costs
- Evaluate implementation complexity
[Learn more about bias mitigation techniques and their effectiveness](@https://holisticai.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting_started/bias/mitigation/inprocessing/bc_adversarial_debiasing_adversarial_debiasing.html)