Artificial intelligence in hiring: Assessing impacts on equality

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) presents risks to equality, potentially embedding bias and discrimination. Auditing tools are often promised as a solution. However our new research, which examines tools for auditing AI used in recruitment, finds these tools are often inadequate in ensuring compliance with UK Equality Law, good governance and best practice.

The report provides evidence of the need for a more comprehensive approach than technical auditing to safeguard equality in the use of AI for hiring, which shapes access to work, and outlines the present first steps which could be taken to achieve this.

The report also includes a prototype AI Equality Impact Assessment, which we plan to develop and pilot.