Ethical AI has become one of the most critical aspects of AI development, as the use of AI systems deployed in the public and private sectors has led to an alarming increase in algorithmic injustice. There are many examples of systems that have predicted unfair or even discriminatory results. Most concerning are social contexts such as health care, recruitment, education, and criminal justice. In this blog, we explore what ethical AI is and how you can select fair HR tech tools.
What is ethical AI in recruitment?
Ethical AI is artificial intelligence that adheres to well-defined ethical guidelines regarding fundamental values. With AI playing a more important role in recruitment, it’s becoming clear that we need clear moral and ethical guidelines as employment anti-discrimination laws are inadequate to address unlawful discrimination related to emerging workplace technologies. Ethical AI needs to follow guidelines and regulations to ensure that these systems are built in ethical, transparent, and accountable ways.
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What is equitable AI?
Any AI system affecting people’s lives should increase equity and not just optimize for efficiency. But what does equitable AI mean? Equitable AI goes beyond a fair algorithm and focuses on the impact of the AI system. How it empowers people and the level of agency people have when they interact with the AI system.
Ensuring equitable AI can be a complex task, as there is no one-size-fits-all algorithm for remedying bias and discrimination in AI. Creating fair AI systems will require use-specific considerations across the entire AI pipeline, from the initial collection of data, through monitoring the final deployed system. Keeping the focus on transparency and testing AI will be key to building predictive systems that won’t reproduce or amplify discrimination.
Read more about how recruiters are using AI.
How to select ethical AI tools for hiring
Today, nearly 1 in 4 organizations are using automation or AI to support HR-related activities including, resume screening, skill testing, collecting verified references, and interviewing. This then frees up time for HR teams to focus on other aspects of attracting and keeping employees. Although efficiency might be why an AI system is implemented into a recruitment process, recruiters need to focus on carefully selecting systems that are fair and ethical.
Here are three things recruiters should consider when selecting an ethical AI system:
1. Stay updated on any new laws
The European Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are already auditing AI’s effects and prosecuting discriminatory hiring assessments or processes. In addition to the EEOC, several states in the U.S. are proposing legislation or regulations to audit employers’ use of AI. As they will implement more laws on a global scale, organizations need to be well informed to make sense of it all and thrive in an AI-regulated world.
2. Get candidate consent and waivers for AI use
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.
3. Select tools that have been tested for bias
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. Having representation and a diverse is crucial to mitigating subconscious stereotypes and not getting a collective blind spot. By allowing different perspectives, it becomes possible to examine the AI system more critically and understand how bias could influence the outcome.
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.