Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in recruitment processes, from screening resumes to conducting video interviews. While AI has the potential to make recruitment processes more efficient and effective, it also brings with it ethical concerns. In this blog post, we will discuss how you can create an AI vision and some of the best practices for ethical AI in recruitment.
Using ethical AI in recruitment
If you are working in recruitment, you probably have experienced short deadlines and how tricky it can be to give each applicant the same level of unbiased consideration when you are dealing with hundreds of resumes. Unfortunately, a lot of recruiters will simply advance candidates whose backgrounds resemble those of current employees. This means that candidates with diverse work experience or different backgrounds don’t have a chance. To ensure a more objective recruitment process, many recruiters and HR teams have therefore implemented one, or several AI recruitment solutions to improve their hiring practices.
Using AI to create an experience where candidates feel respected and engaged, will not only strengthen your relationship with current applicants but will also in- crease the number of future applicants. Before you decide which recruitment software to invest in, consider that the software you choose will impact the hiring process and your candidates. Look for the ones that leave a positive impression.
Create an AI vision
Although the potential to strengthen organizations with AI is growing, the practical work of introducing and implementing AI in the right way remains a challenge. There is one thing to understand AI’s technical capabilities but it’s quite another to take on the journey of change required to integrate AI into an organization.
Using AI with intention and having an AI vision provides broad goals for your organization’s future development and its ability to achieve this with AI. But creating an AI vision is not always straightforward and it’s important that you continuously assess ethical and sustainability-related aspects. As well as, your organizational needs every year.
So how do you create an AI vision? Start by asking yourself these questions:
1. How can AI be used to create value in our organization?
2. What do we want to use AI for?
3. Why is AI a tool that fits our organization?
4. Who will benefit from our work with AI?
5. How does the AI vision relate and align with your general organizational strategy?
6. What do you want to achieve with AI in 3-5 years?
How to select ethical AI tools
Ethical AI practices are essential in recruitment processes to ensure that they are fair and non-discriminatory. Transparency, fairness, privacy, and accountability are key considerations in the development and deployment of AI systems. By implementing these best practices, you can ensure that AI is used to improve recruitment processes without causing harm or perpetuating inequality.
1. Ensure transparency and explainability
AI in recruitment should be developed in a way that is transparent and explainable. Job candidates should be informed that AI is being used in the recruitment process and should be given an explanation of how the technology works. This helps to build trust with candidates and ensures that the technology is not used in an unfair or discriminatory manner.
2. Avoid bias and discrimination
AI can unintentionally perpetuate the biases and prejudices of its developers, leading to discrimination and unfair treatment of certain candidates. So before selecting an AI system, critically assess the extent to which the products are audited or tested for bias. In addition to assessing what role vendors will play if they allege their products to be biased or discriminatory. Aim to have diverse teams with individuals from different backgrounds, ages, and gender identities that develop and implement AI. By allowing different perspectives, it becomes possible to examine the AI system more critically and understand how bias could influence the outcome.
3. Respect privacy and data protection
AI in recruitment often requires access to personal data to function effectively. Companies should be transparent about what data is being collected, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. Consider working closely with outside legal counsel to ensure that you comply with requirements regarding notice to candidates. Remember to select AI that is compatible with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and obtain candidate consent and waivers for AI use. Candidates' privacy and data protection rights must be respected throughout the recruitment process.
4. Ensure human oversight and accountability
While AI can automate many tasks in recruitment, it's essential to ensure that human oversight and accountability are built into the process. Human experts should be involved in the design, testing, and monitoring of AI systems to ensure that they are functioning as intended and that any issues are addressed promptly. Ultimately, human decision-makers should be responsible for hiring decisions.
5. Consider the societal impact
AI in recruitment can have a significant impact on society, and it's essential to consider the broader implications of its use. Companies should consider the potential impact of AI on different groups of people, including those who may be marginalized or disadvantaged. They should also consider the impact on employment and workforces, and take steps to mitigate any negative consequences.
Tengai's approach to ethical AI
At Tengai, we recognize that our software can have an impact on individuals and society as a whole and we take this responsibility seriously. One critical aspect of our responsible AI development is, therefore, identifying and mitigating bias. To ensure that Tengai's framework is 100% unbiased, we asked psychometric experts to test the interview and validate the assessment. The results show that Tengai can conduct objective interviews, assess work performance, and contribute to a more unbiased interview process.
Book a demo to learn how Tengai can help you create a more unbiased screening process.