Granted Patent B2

US 12,321,847 · App. 18/764,967 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Inventors: Luiz Henrique Outi Kauffmann (Apex, NC); Aline Riquetti Campos Emídio (Brasília, BR)

Assignee: SAS INSTITUTE INC.

G06N3/0475G06F17/16G06N3/08G06N5/045

Abstract

Claims (79)

1. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:

obtaining a decisioning dataset from a machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein the decisioning dataset includes a plurality of favorable decisioning records and at least one unfavorable decisioning record;

converting, via a machine learning algorithm, the plurality of favorable decisioning records and the unfavorable decisioning record to a plurality of vector values in a multi-dimensional space;

detecting, via the machine learning algorithm, a favorable decisioning record of the plurality of favorable decisioning records that has a vector value closest to a vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the vector value of the favorable decisioning record and the vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record is a subset of the plurality of vector values;

executing a counterfactual assessment between the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the counterfactual assessment includes:

retrieving attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

computing one or more bias intensity metrics based on disparities between the attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record;

generating an explainability artifact that uses the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain a bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning includes indicating, via visual emphasis, an unfairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when a value of a first bias intensity metric satisfies a threshold condition; and

in response to generating the explainability artifact, displaying the explainability artifact in a user interface.

2. The computer-program product according to claim 1 , wherein:

the threshold condition defines a threshold amount;

the first bias intensity metric of the one or more bias intensity metrics represents a difference between a respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record,

the explainability artifact further explains the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model by indicating factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model, and

indicating the factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model includes:

determining that the value of the first bias intensity metric is less than the threshold amount, and

based on determining that the value of the first bias intensity metric is less than the threshold amount, displaying, in the explainability artifact, the first bias intensity metric with the visual emphasis to indicate the respective attribute associated with the first bias intensity metric is a factor contributing to the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model.

3. The computer-program product according to claim 2 , wherein:

a second bias intensity metric of the one or more bias intensity metrics represents a difference between a second respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

indicating the factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

determining that a value of the second bias intensity metric is more than the threshold amount, and

based on determining that the value of the second bias intensity metric is more than the threshold amount, displaying, in the explainability artifact, the second bias intensity metric with visual emphasis indicating the second respective attribute associated with the second bias intensity metric is not the factor contributing to the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model.

4. The computer-program product according to claim 1 , wherein:

the threshold condition defines a threshold amount;

the one or more bias intensity metrics includes the first bias intensity metric that represents a difference between a respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

displaying, in the explainability artifact, the value of the first bias intensity metric, and

indicating, via the visual emphasis displayed in association with the value of the first bias intensity metric, the unfairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when the value of the first bias intensity metric indicates that the difference between the respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record is less than the threshold amount.

5. The computer-program product according to claim 4 , wherein:

using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

indicating, via the visual emphasis displayed in association with the value of the first bias intensity metric, a fairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when the value of the first bias intensity metric indicates that the difference between the respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record is more than the threshold amount.

6. The computer-program product according to claim 1 , wherein:

the machine learning algorithm detects the favorable decisioning record and further detects a second favorable decisioning record of the plurality of favorable decisioning records that has a vector value that is second closest to the vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record,

the computer instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations further comprising:

retrieving the attributes of the second favorable decisioning record; and

computing one or more second bias intensity metrics based on disparities between the attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the attributes of the second favorable decisioning record, and

the explainability artifact uses the one or more bias intensity metrics and further uses the one or more second bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model.

7. The computer-program product according to claim 1 , wherein the first bias intensity metric of the one or more bias intensity metrics represents a difference between a respective attribute of the unfavorable decisioning record and the favorable decisioning record.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining a decisioning dataset from a machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein the decisioning dataset includes a plurality of favorable decisioning records and at least one unfavorable decisioning record;

converting, via a machine learning algorithm, the plurality of favorable decisioning records and the unfavorable decisioning record to a plurality of vector values in a multi-dimensional space;

detecting, via the machine learning algorithm, a favorable decisioning record of the plurality of favorable decisioning records that has a vector value closest to a vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the vector value of the favorable decisioning record and the vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record is a subset of the plurality of vector values;

executing a counterfactual assessment between the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the counterfactual assessment includes:

retrieving attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

computing one or more bias intensity metrics based on disparities between the attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record;

generating an explainability artifact that uses the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain a bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning includes indicating, via visual emphasis, an unfairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when a value of a first bias intensity metric satisfies a threshold condition; and

in response to generating the explainability artifact, displaying the explainability artifact in a user interface.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the threshold condition defines a threshold amount;

the first bias intensity metric of the one or more bias intensity metrics represents a difference between a respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record,

the explainability artifact further explains the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model by indicating factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model, and

indicating the factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model includes:

determining that the value of the first bias intensity metric is less than the threshold amount, and

based on determining that the value of the first bias intensity metric is less than the threshold amount, displaying, in the explainability artifact, the first bias intensity metric with the visual emphasis to indicate the respective attribute associated with the first bias intensity metric is a factor contributing to the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , wherein:

a second bias intensity metric of the one or more bias intensity metrics represents a difference between a second respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

indicating the factors causing the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

determining that a value of the second bias intensity metric is more than the threshold amount, and

based on determining that the value of the second bias intensity metric is more than the threshold amount, displaying, in the explainability artifact, the second bias intensity metric with visual emphasis indicating the second respective attribute associated with the second bias intensity metric is not the factor contributing to the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the threshold condition defines a threshold amount;

the one or more bias intensity metrics includes the first bias intensity metric that represents a difference between a respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

displaying, in the explainability artifact, the value of the first bias intensity metric, and

indicating, via the visual emphasis displayed in association with the value of the first bias intensity metric, the unfairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when the value of the first bias intensity metric indicates that the difference between the respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record is less than the threshold amount.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 11 , wherein:

using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model further includes:

indicating, via the visual emphasis displayed in association with the value of the first bias intensity metric, a fairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when the value of the first bias intensity metric indicates that the difference between the respective attribute of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record is more than the threshold amount.

13. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

a computer-readable medium operably coupled to the one or more processors, the computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a decisioning dataset from a machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein the decisioning dataset includes a plurality of favorable decisioning records and at least one unfavorable decisioning record;

converting, via a machine learning algorithm, the plurality of favorable decisioning records and the unfavorable decisioning record to a plurality of vector values in a multi-dimensional space;

detecting, via the machine learning algorithm, a favorable decisioning record of the plurality of favorable decisioning records that has a vector value closest to a vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the vector value of the favorable decisioning record and the vector value of the unfavorable decisioning record is a subset of the plurality of vector values;

executing a counterfactual assessment between the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, wherein the counterfactual assessment includes:

retrieving attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record, and

computing one or more bias intensity metrics based on disparities between the attributes of the favorable decisioning record and the unfavorable decisioning record;

generating an explainability artifact that uses the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain a bias in the machine learning-based decisioning model, wherein using the one or more bias intensity metrics to explain the bias in the machine learning-based decisioning includes indicating, via visual emphasis, an unfairness of the machine learning-based decisioning model when a value of a first bias intensity metric satisfies a threshold condition; and

in response to generating the explainability artifact, displaying the explainability artifact in a user interface.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (13)

Cited By (2)

US 12,436,943 US 12,705,230