This case set is part of the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) curriculum. To see other material in the GVV curriculum, please visit http://store.darden.virginia.edu/giving-voice-to-values. Taylor is a senior product manager at Catalise, a start-up that develops artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic technology for mental health disorders. When Taylor is promoted to this position, her first project is to manage the launch of Catalisten, an AI-based software that diagnoses major depressive disorder by analyzing patients’ speech patterns. Company leaders expect Catalisten to be the company’s new blockbuster product and expedite its launch to ensure a competitive advantage. As Taylor onboards onto the Catalisten team, she learns that the product, which is nearly complete, misdiagnoses female patients at significantly higher rates than male patients. When Taylor raises the concern to a team member, she is pushed to “bury” the algorithm’s discrepancy in order to protect the product launch time line. In this A case, Taylor’s challenge is to convince Catalise’s chief product officer to delay Catalisten’s launch to address the AI software’s gender bias.
This case set is intended for use at the MBA level in courses in business innovation, entrepreneurship, engineering, technology product development, tech ethics, and leadership and ethics. It could be taught to advanced undergraduates who have developed a foundation in GVV, ethical decision-making, or computer science.
