EEOC Beginning a New Initiative on The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Employment

[Kathleen Martin]

Though the EEOC has stated that AI, as well as algorithmic decision-making tools, have the potential to be useful in making employment decisions. Despite this, the federal agency has made clear that it believes they also have the potential to create and mask discrimination. This could perhaps even create new discriminatory barriers to employment and potentially perpetuate existing biases and mask them under the veil of neutral machine decision-making.
In order to determine whether the current applications of AI are being used in a fair and non-discriminatory manner, the EEOC will be investigating how the technology is being used in making employment decisions. It also intends to provide guidance for the technology’s makers, employers, and employees alike to ensure that the technology is only used in adherence to the applicable equal opportunity (EEO) regulations. To accomplish this, the initiative will:

• Create an internal working group to ensure coordination between all parts of the agency working on the initiative.
• Acquire available information on how the technology is being integrated as well as their design and the impact they are having on employment decisions.
• Schedule listening sessions with all of the key stakeholders for the issue to hear how the technology is affecting employment.
• Identify potentially positive practices and provide guidance and technical assistance to assist in the fair use of AI in an employment context.

According to the EEOC, the investigation and enforcement of potential bias in the use of AI and algorithms in employment is something that solidly falls within their authority. The agency’s leader, in fact, stated that the agency will address all employment bias regardless of what form it may take.
Continue reading: https://www.pre-employ.com/newsblog/eeoc-beginning-a-new-initiative-on-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-employment/