11.4 Transparency and Explainability
Many AI models are "black boxes" - even their makers can't fully explain a single decision. That's a problem when the stakes are high.
Chapter 11: Ethics, Risks, and Challenges
A deep neural network can have billions of weights. It gives an answer, but tracing exactly why is really hard. That's the black box problem.
Explainable AI (XAI) is a field working on tools that show which inputs influenced a decision - like highlighting which parts of an X-ray the model focused on.
Why it matters: if AI helps decide who gets a loan, a job interview or medical treatment, people deserve to know why - and to challenge it if it's wrong.
Key takeaways
Black box = can't see why it decided
Explainable AI shows reasons and influences
Essential for high-stakes decisions