Should artificial intelligence be used in hiring processes? Many Americans are skeptical, raising fears of a ‘Matrix’-style dystopian future, but AI, and particularly generative AI, is becoming an increasingly important tool for workplace efficiency and management. In the Matrix, AI-powered machines took over the world, using human beings as their energy source. In their latest article, Troutman Pepper’s Tracey Diamond, Evan Gibbs and Alison Grounds discuss the potential for dystopian results from generative AI and outline the significant opportunities and challenges that generative AI present in the workplace.Continue Reading Generative AI in the Workplace: It’s Not ‘The Matrix’ Reloaded
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Are There Any Risks to Using AI to Enhance Diversity in the Workplace?
Q: Are there any risks to using AI to enhance diversity in the workplace?
A: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly prevalent in hiring decisions, particularly as a means to increase diversity in employment. In January 2023, the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) estimated that 83% of employers rely on artificial technology in decision-making. When used thoughtfully, AI tools can help employers more effectively analyze data and trends necessary to improving diversity, such as employee retention, pay inequality, and bias in job postings and hiring practices. For instance, generative AI platforms can enhance diverse employee retention by preparing career path guides specific to an employee’s skills and values, which allows diverse employees to view opportunities for internal career growth with transparency. Additionally, employers may use AI to assist in screening candidates during the recruiting process to avoid the unconscious biases that human screeners bring to the process. Despite the benefits and growing adoption of AI, however, the EEOC and the Biden administration have recently warned of the inherent risks that employers should be aware of when leveraging AI to enhance workplace diversity. Continue Reading Are There Any Risks to Using AI to Enhance Diversity in the Workplace?
CFPB Opines That Companies Using Automated Worker Surveillance Tools Must Comply with FCRA
Do companies that use workplace surveillance tools to make hiring and firing decisions risk violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)? According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) in a recent comment, the answer to that question is yes. The Bureau’s official comment comes in response to a request for information issued by the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy on the impact of automated tools used by employers to monitor and evaluate workers. The CFPB’s position that the FCRA applies to automated worker surveillance tools is consistent with the Bureau’s March 2023 request for information on data brokers, discussed here, to determine whether the FCRA applies to modern data surveillance practices.Continue Reading CFPB Opines That Companies Using Automated Worker Surveillance Tools Must Comply with FCRA
With Great Hiring Power Comes Great Responsibility: EEOC Releases New Warnings for Employers Leveraging AI
Q. Has the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued any recent guidance regarding employers’ use of artificial intelligence (AI)?
A. Yes. On May 18, the EEOC released new guidelines, explaining how employers’ use of AI could trigger a federal employment law violation. This development makes the government’s position clear: Employers using AI in the workplace run the risk of violating antidiscrimination law — specifically, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.Continue Reading With Great Hiring Power Comes Great Responsibility: EEOC Releases New Warnings for Employers Leveraging AI