New York City to require bias audits of AI-type HR technology

New York City passed a first-of-its-kind law that will prohibit employers from using AI and algorithm-based technologies for recruiting, hiring or promotion without those tools first being audited for bias.

"The law supports informed consent, which is crucial, and it's been utterly lacking to date," said Julia Stoyanovich, Institute Associate Professor and member of the Center for Responsible AI. "It also supports at least a limited form of recourse, allowing candidates to seek accommodations or to challenge the process."

Stoyanovich said she understands the arguments critical of the law but sees its passage "as an opportunity for all of us, collectively, to figure out how to operationalize the very necessary requirements of bias auditing, and of public disclosure in the algorithmic hiring domain. We can only figure this out by acting, not by sitting back and allowing algorithmic hiring tools to continue to be used, without any oversight and any accountability."