Brian Brackeen Returns to Kairos to Tackle Algorithmic Bias

Brian Brackeen, who previously served as the founder and CEO of the facial recognition company Kairos, has resumed a role with the organization after being removed from his position in 2018.

Currently, Brackeen is presiding over the company’s scientific advisory board. His primary focus will be on identifying and mitigating issues related to racial bias within their technology.

Addressing Bias as a Core Concern

Although Kairos’ main objective is to deliver authentication solutions to businesses, the topic of algorithmic bias has consistently been a key area of attention, particularly for Brackeen.

The period surrounding his departure and the subsequent events were marked by significant turbulence.

The 2018 Ouster and Legal Battles

In 2018, the board of directors at Kairos initiated Brackeen’s removal as CEO, citing instances of willful misconduct. Beyond removing him from leadership, Kairos filed a lawsuit against Brackeen.

The lawsuit alleged the improper use of company funds and the provision of misleading information to shareholders.

Brackeen characterized these actions as “a poorly structured coup” and refuted the accusations leveled against him.

He subsequently launched a countersuit, claiming that the company and its then-CEO, Melissa Doval, deliberately damaged his professional standing through deceptive practices.

The legal disputes between Brackeen and Kairos were ultimately resolved through a settlement agreement in 2019. Following this, Brackeen co-founded Lightship Capital alongside his wife, Candice Brackeen.

Focus on the Bias API

Upon his return to Kairos, Brackeen has prioritized the development of what the company calls the Bias API.

This API is intended to simplify the process for organizations to detect and rectify algorithmic biases, as stated by Brackeen.

While not returning in a full-time capacity due to his commitments with Lightship Capital, Brackeen will provide strategic guidance during quarterly meetings.

A Return to His "Baby"

Despite the past conflicts, Brackeen conveyed to TechCrunch that he still holds a strong affinity for Kairos.

Notably, individuals such as Doval, who assumed the CEO role after Brackeen’s removal, and Mary Wolff, the former COO who led the lawsuit, are no longer with the company.

“I will always feel a responsibility to the team, investors and fans of Kairos,” Brackeen explained, emphasizing his connection to those he helped build. “As a society, bias is present in numerous areas, from image cropping on Twitter to the functionality of hand dryers. This serves as a stark reminder of societal inequities.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various products, we can anticipate the emergence of bias in diverse applications. Kairos, with its extensive dataset and accumulated intellectual property, is uniquely positioned to prevent a future where this becomes commonplace. I am in a distinct position to spearhead this effort.”

Correction

A previous iteration of this article incorrectly identified Stephen Moore as the CEO of Kairos. Brackeen has clarified that Moore has not been officially appointed to this position.