With almost all big employers in the United States now using artificial intelligence (Al) and automation in their hiring processes, the public is considering some urgent questions: How can you prevent discrimination in hiring when a machine is keeping the discrimination? What kind of methods might help?
Some 83% of employers, including 99% of Fortune 500 companies, now use some form of automated tools as part of their hiring process, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) chairwoman Charlotte Burrows at a hearing on Tuesday. She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts.
Last year, the EEOC issued some guidance around the use of cutting-edge hiring tools, noting many of their shortcomings. The agency found that resume(简历)scanners that prioritize keywords and programs that evaluate a candidate's facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, a video interview that analyzes an applicant's speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. A person with a speech problem might score low and automatically be screened out. The problem will be for the EEOC to root out discrimination― stop it from taking place.
The EEOC is considering the most appropriate ways to handle the problem. It's agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.
In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision-making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. "We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination," she said.
