AI is already making an impact on employment and is expected to influence it profoundly in the future. AI algorithms are being widely applied to various aspects of the recruitment process, from the optimisation of job descriptions, to the screening and assessment of candidates.
As in other instances, the big question is whether there is any danger: For example, these algorithms may suffer from inbuilt (racial and more) biases due to the use of potentially unbalanced datasets in their training. Unlike humans, algorithms may be unequipped to consciously counteract learned bias and leave qualified candidates out of the recruitment process. If these biases are carefully eliminated though, AI may actually help make fair and neutral recruitment decisions.
On a different level, the application of AI to automation will lead to the creation of new jobs and improve the working conditions of many existing ones; but it is also expected to eliminate jobs with uneven consequences for working categories.
There is a very low representation of minority ethnic groups in the population of people employed in AI. This is a huge cause for concern since without a diverse set of AI creators, our AI models are bound to be prone to blind spots that bias against and ultimately harm minority ethnic groups.
Computer vision technology have a harder time recognising people with darker skin or from asian background. One main reason for this is that the datasets used by companies to train facial analysis software use mainly white examples and are not truly representative of diversity in society.
AI for recruiting is the application of artificial intelligence (such as machine learning, natural language processing, and sentiment analysis) to the recruitment function. It has the potential to mitigate, but is also likely to amplify bias.
AI has the potential to unlock new jobs – by allowing activities that are dangerous for humans or not even possible today, for example deep sea diving or space exploration.
AI-equipped robots will be able to perform dangerous or repetitive physical tasks, thus creating safer workplaces (e.g., wearable robots that support human strength may prevent musculoskeletal disorders).
AI-assisted automation of tasks will eliminate jobs in an uneven way across ethnic groups, further marginalising groups that are already at risk of lower pay and career advancement.
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