20/09/2022

This very short EHRC Guide ‘Artificial intelligence in public services’ may help some understand the advantages and risks of using AI to make decisions in the workplace or the services they provide.

It explains that machine learning and automated decision-making are applied through a wide range of technologies in both private and public sectors.

Being EHRC, the focus is on AI and equality.

Sections include:

* Who this guide is for
* What this guide covers
* What is AI
* Benefits of artificial intelligence
* Risks of artificial intelligence
* UK government resources on AI

Although it is aimed at GB and general decision making in the public sector it’s helpful in starting to raise awareness about risks of AI Discrimination in making workplace decisions.

It recommends you develop a checklist to fit your own circumstances and suggests you may want to take the following steps:

1. Identify if and how you (or others on your behalf) use AI, and consider how the PSED applies

2. Collect equality evidence:

* Assess existing available information
* Look at external research
* Talk to staff, service users, equality groups and community groups
* Identify and address any data gaps

3. Review how the AI could affect people with different protected characteristics either positively or negatively

4. Assess the potential and actual impact by looking at the equality evidence and asking:

* Does the proposed or existing AI cause, or could it cause, discrimination?
* Does the proposed or existing AI help to eliminate discrimination?
* Does the proposed or existing AI contribute to advancing equality of opportunity?
* Does the proposed or existing AI affect good relations?

5. Use the results of the equality impact assessment when developing the new AI-related proposal or reviewing existing services (even if the AI was developed outside of your organisation):

* Do you need to make a big change or adjust the proposal or services?
* Can you continue or should you stop and remove the proposal or service?

6. Make sure you consider the results of the assessment carefully when making the final decision about the service or product and how it will be put in place

7. Keep records of decisions and how you considered the PSED (for example, minutes of meetings)

8. Publish the results of the assessment to support transparency

9. Train staff and make sure they understand their responsibilities

10. Continue to monitor the actual impact of the AI-related policy or service, reviewing and amending it as necessary

It is a growing area and that will raise its head increasingly so over the next 10 years and reminder that the computers are not always right….