You’ve likely heard about or read news stories involving artificial intelligence. The power behind AI recently entered the worlds of entertainment, business and other industries. Some Texas companies believe that AI will help the world. But others persist that AI could do more harm than good, especially if it eliminates qualified job candidates based on discrimination.
AI and civil rights violations
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued a statement warning companies about using artificial intelligence tools to help with talent acquisition. According to this commission, companies using AI in hiring could risk violating employment laws. The EEOC feels that AI could violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects applicants and workers from using algorithmic decision making or selection procedures.
The potential drawbacks of AI hiring
With artificial intelligence tools popping up everywhere, some people wonder how these powerful tools and programs get their information. Since AI relies on data from other sources, some worry about where certain tools and programs get their information. A single instance of bias input into an AI tool could lead it to share false beliefs about someone based on their race, gender identity, or similar factors.
Another worry with AI is how it judges information. Many people fear that understandable job gaps could cause AI tools to view legitimately talented individuals as unworthy of qualifying for a position. This situation could lead to companies using these tools to face employment discrimination violations.
While there’s currently no law against companies using AI tools in their hiring processes, this situation could soon change. Artificial intelligence can help a business generate results while saving time and money, but not if it causes discrimination.