The posts you see on social media, as well as the likelihood of being flagged for student finance fraud: algorithms are everywhere. Scandals such as the Dutch childcare benefits affair have shown just how badly things can go wrong. But why is that? Aren’t algorithms simply neutral formulas? Or do they contain hidden values? In this mini-lecture, we explore the extent to which algorithms are political tools that exercise power and advantage certain groups. Drawing on contemporary philosophers, we consider how philosophy can help us understand and critically examine our AI-driven world.