Incident 203: Uber Launched Opaque Algorithm That Changes Drivers' Payments in the US

Description: Uber launched a new but opaque algorithm to determine drivers' pay in the US which allegedly caused drivers to experience lower fares, confusing fare drops, and a decrease in rides.

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Alleged: Uber developed and deployed an AI system, which harmed Uber drivers.

Incident Stats

Incident ID
203
Report Count
3
Incident Date
2022-02-10
Editors
Khoa Lam
Applied Taxonomies
GMF, MIT

MIT Taxonomy Classifications

Machine-Classified
Taxonomy Details

Risk Subdomain

7.4. Lack of transparency or interpretability

Risk Domain

  1. AI system safety, failures, and limitations

Entity

AI

Timing

Post-deployment

Intent

Intentional

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Uber revamps driver pay algorithm in large U.S. pilot to attract drivers
reuters.com · 2022

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) is testing a new driver earnings algorithm in 24 U.S. cities that allows drivers to see pay and destinations before accepting a trip and raises the incentives for drivers to take short rides…

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Secretive Algorithm Will Now Determine Uber Driver Pay in Many Cities – The Markup
themarkup.org · 2022

The company has long used ride time and mileage to decide driver pay but is now turning to an opaque calculation called “Upfront Fares”

Uber has quietly changed the way it pays drivers in several major cities across the U.S., using a new fe…

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Uber tests new algorithm in the US that can change driver payments
labsnews.com · 2022

Uber is testing a new driver earnings algorithm in 24 U.S. cities that allows drivers to see pay and destinations before accepting a trip and raises the incentives for drivers to take short rides in an effort to attract more drivers. In Bra…

Variants

A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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