As AI increasingly plays a role in hiring and firing decisions, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is trying to make sure the technology doesn’t engender discrimination.
EEOC Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels said the commission’s goal is to ensure “we can enjoy the benefits of new technology while protecting the fundamental civil rights that are enshrined in our laws.”
On Jan. 31, the EEOC heard from computer scientists, civil rights advocates, legal experts, employer representatives and an industrial-organizational psychologist during a public hearing on employment discrimination in AI attended online by about 2,950 people.
“The rapid adoption of AI and other systems has truly opened a new frontier,” Chair Charlotte Burrows said.
While AI technology can revolutionize work and improve efficiency, it’s important to make sure it doesn’t perpetuate historical discrimination, Samuels said. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act already covers this arena, and Commissioner Andrea Lucas said she hopes it can be applied successfully.
New York City has led the charge in codifying into law restrictions on how companies can use automated employment decision tools. Effective Jan. 1, New York City started requiring a bias audit before any tool can be used and a notification to job applicants and employees before its use. Enforcement of the law, however, has been delayed until April 15.
Even if a company isn’t screening for protected categories like race, gender or sexual...
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