Bias requirements and the bias profile

IEEE Std 7003-2024 (IEEE 7003) puts its normative clauses in a sequence around the bias profile of an autonomous intelligent system (AIS) (1.6). This page gives Clause 4 (Requirements for Bias Consideration) and Clause 5 (The Bias Profile). Clause 4 makes the bias profile. Each subsequent step uses the bias profile, or some sections of it, as an input. Each one gives an updated bias profile as an output:

• Stakeholder identification (6.2 e and 6.3 a)
• Data representation (7.2 c and 7.3 c)
• Risk and impact assessment (8.2 a and 8.3 a)
• Evaluation of design and outputs (9.2.2 c and 9.2.3 a)
• Ongoing evaluation (9.3.2 c and 9.3.3 a).

Of these steps, only the inputs of the risk and impact assessment include the values statement from Clause 4 (8.2 a 2). The Modulos Requirements for Clauses 4 and 5 are in The Requirements.

Requirements for bias consideration (Clause 4)

Clause 4 of IEEE 7003 is the first step of bias consideration for an AIS. Clause 4 makes sure that bias consideration starts with the part that bias has in the AIS, before the other steps start (4.1). Clause 4 is the first step of a set of tasks that occur iteratively. These tasks add to the primary life cycle of the system. Clause 4 also makes the bias profile. The bias profile records the information about bias consideration from each other step (4.1).

The work on wanted bias and unwanted bias also starts in Clause 4 (4.1). For more about the two types of bias, see Wanted and unwanted bias.

Inputs (4.2)

IEEE 7003 gives three inputs to Clause 4:

• a) The business requirements for the AIS. These give the function that the AIS is to do and the context of use for the bias consideration process. They also include a record that shows that the AIS is necessary, or the business case for the AIS.
• b) The design documentation.
• c) The governance processes and policies. These include, where available, the diversity and inclusion policies and priorities, the organizational values, and a map of the accountability structure. These also include maps of the internal and external governance structures, and project documentation standards. The last item that Clause 4.2 gives is a record of the responsible innovation procedures that the organization uses.

The project documentation standards of input c) include rules for how records are made, changed, and kept. The items of input c) are inputs only. Clause 4.2 gives no task to make an item that is not available.

Outputs (4.3)

Clause 4 of IEEE 7003 gives two outputs:

• a) The bias profile for the AIS, with the bias requirements and the boundaries of acceptability.
• b) A values statement for the AIS that includes bias considerations.

Tasks (4.4)

Clause 4.4 of IEEE 7003 gives eight tasks for each AIS in its context of use (1.6 a):

• a) Collect the necessary records and the recommended records. The necessary records are the business requirements, the design documentation, and the governance processes. The design documentation includes the design of the user interface (UI) and of the user experience (UX). The recommended records are a feasibility study, the IEEE CertifAIEd set of ontologies, and ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7000-2022. Other records about how the AIS is made and operated are also recommended.
• b) Identify the sensitive attributes, if there are such attributes, that the bias consideration process is to represent and "advocate for". Then examine if the persons who have tasks in the bias consideration process represent these attributes. If these persons do not represent the attributes “appropriately”, get external advocates. They help in the important steps of the bias consideration process.
• c) Select an accountability structure. Then identify the interface between the bias consideration process and the organizational governance framework.
• d) Identify all other requirements for the AIS life cycle, decommissioning included.
• e) Make the bias profile (Clause 5).
• f) Make a values statement for the AIS that includes the organizational values and the initial bias considerations. An informative NOTE gives ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7000-2022 as an example of guidelines for value requirements.
• g) Propose boundaries of acceptability for the context of use, for example for diversity, inclusion, disability, “culture”, and accessibility.
• h) Make sure that there are clear procedures and methods for bias consideration in the context of use of the AIS.

Task b) is not the same as Clause 6.5. Clause 6.5 is about the persons who do stakeholder identification, when they identify the protected attributes. For Clause 6.5, see Stakeholder identification (Clause 6).

Outcome (4.5)

Through the tasks of Clause 4 of IEEE 7003, the developers of the AIS make the bias profile of the AIS and know its contents. They also know more about the boundaries of acceptability for the AIS (4.5).

IEEE 7003 requires that each clause, Clause 4 included, is examined again, iteratively, during all of the AIS life cycle, as “appropriate” (1.6). For the sequence of the clauses, see The clauses of the standard.

The bias profile (Clause 5)

In Clause 3.1 of IEEE 7003, the bias profile is a repository of information that the tasks of bias consideration make and keep. In Clause 5.1, the bias profile is to be a through-life record of the bias consideration for an AIS. IEEE 7003 puts its clauses in a sequence around the bias profile. The bias profile holds the outputs and the outcomes that help bias consideration (1.6).

Clause 5.1 of IEEE 7003 identifies three possible sources of unwanted bias: the data, the model, and the code that makes the model. Each one can be a source independently of the others. The data and the model can have an effect on each other, and this can cause unwanted bias in the outputs. This can occur also when the unwanted bias in the data and in the model was “addressed” (5.1).

The contents of the bias profile (5.2)

For each task of bias consideration, the bias profile of IEEE 7003 keeps the "initial", the "intermediate", and the "most recent versions" of the task "documents" (5.2).

These "documents" keep information for the subsequent steps. They also keep information for the next iterations through one step, some steps, or all steps (5.2). Thus a new "version" does not replace the "versions" from before.

After each iteration of the ongoing evaluation, IEEE 7003 gives a task: examine five parts of the bias profile, and change them if necessary (9.3.4.3). For these five parts, see Ongoing evaluation and drift monitoring (Clause 9.3).

How each step supplies information (5.2)

In Clause 5.2 of IEEE 7003, each step supplies information to the subsequent steps and to the steps before it. The location where a bias is found can be far from the location where the bias came into the AIS. Some biases can be found before they "do harm". Other biases show only after some time, and the information from them can then help the next iteration. Thus, a mitigation can come before a bias shows or after it shows (5.2).

In Clause 5.2, iteration makes sure that risk and the effects on stakeholders get an assessment at all “milestones” in the AIS life cycle. Risk assessments that occur iteratively at “appropriate” points of the life cycle make complete and accurate mitigation strategies possible (5.2).

IEEE 7003 does not include the specification of mitigations (5.2). But the standard shows the user how to make procedures that find where and how to help mitigate bias (5.2).

Other frameworks

To compare IEEE 7003 with the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, and NIST AI 100-1, see How IEEE 7003 compares to other frameworks.

Where to go next

IEEE 7003 overview

The standard, where it applies, wanted and unwanted bias, conformance, and other frameworks

Stakeholders and data representation

Clauses 6 and 7: stakeholder identification and data representation

Risk, evaluation, and monitoring

Clauses 8 and 9: risk and impact assessment, and evaluation

Operationalizing in Modulos

The Frameworks, the Requirements, and a sequence of work in Modulos

Sources of this page

• IEEE Std 7003-2024, IEEE Standard for Algorithmic Bias Considerations. Approved 11 December 2024, published 24 January 2025 (IEEE SA page). Provisions: Important Notices and Disclaimers, 1.6, 1.8, 1.9, 3.1, Clause 4 (4.1 to 4.5), and Clause 5 (5.1, 5.2). Also: 6.2 e, 6.3 a, 6.5, 7.2 c, 7.3 c, 8.2 a, and 8.3 a. Also: 9.2.2 c, 9.2.3 a, 9.3.2 c, 9.3.3 a, and 9.3.4.3.

Disclaimer

This page gives general information only, and it is not legal advice. Use of IEEE 7003 is voluntary. A procurer and a supplier can put IEEE 7003 in a contract or in “similar agreements”, or refer to it there. They can do this if they agree that the supplier supplies “services and systems” in “accordance” with IEEE 7003 (1.8). Conformance to IEEE 7003 does not release a party from its legal obligations or other obligations (1.9). Before you make a decision, compare this page with IEEE Std 7003-2024.