White House flags risks of using AI tools in hiring

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden said that using artificial intelligence algorithms to make hiring decisions could violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is reported by NBC.

According to Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, “there is no doubt” that broader use of these biased technologies “fuels discrimination”.

“We are ready to stand up for people with disabilities who cannot enter the labour market because employers are increasingly relying on these biased technologies,” she said.

The administration is concerned that such tools could filter out people with disabilities who are capable of performing the job. In Clarke’s view, gamified personality tests do not account for minor deviations. Software for monitoring speech and body language can distinguish subtle physical limitations, she says.

“In effect, it accelerates discrimination against people who would otherwise be fully qualified for the vacancies being filled,” she noted.

Charlotte Burrows, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, backed the statement, urging employers to heed the features of how such programmes operate. She noted that even inadvertent bias is illegal.

Alongside the committee’s general statement, it published a 14-page document with guidance on how the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence may breach the law. The guidance contains practical advice for employers on ADA compliance, as well as for job seekers and employees whose rights may have been violated.

Back in November 2021, the New York City Council banned the use of AI-powered hiring systems that had not undergone discrimination testing.

In September, California regulators moved to regulate workplace-performance algorithms.

Subscribe to ForkLog News on Telegram: ForkLog AI — all the news from the world of AI!