While contrast is almost certainly part of it, I’d hazard a guess that the training set is also partly to blame.
Now, I don’t know much about neural networks (AI), but my understanding is that if you provide a training set representative of the population makeup, (in America at least) it’ll be biased towards white people as it hasn’t “seen” enough black person images. My limited understanding would then make me think one would need equal white person photos as well as black person photos.
Sure, but were those datasets of 3D snapshots of white people, it wouldnt matter.
Black faces and white faces are "statistically equivalent" in 3D.
The issue is more, in my view, the hubris of calling this system "facial recognition". It isnt: it's pixel pattern color recognition which sometimes coincides with certain facial patterns.
I imagine you're right on both counts. Contrast is certainly an issue. You definitely have to make adjustments to photograph dark skin (or animals with black fur).
Now, I don’t know much about neural networks (AI), but my understanding is that if you provide a training set representative of the population makeup, (in America at least) it’ll be biased towards white people as it hasn’t “seen” enough black person images. My limited understanding would then make me think one would need equal white person photos as well as black person photos.