The fear of people who read too much sci-fi labor fiction is about to become reality.
Amazon extended hundreds of its recruiters' buyout opportunities last week, just one part of a very long, very trying cycle of layoffs. A confidential internal document shows that the company has been experimenting with new artificial intelligence technology for a year.
The AAE uses artificial intelligence to predict which job applicants have the highest potential of being successful in certain roles, and then fast-track them to an interview without a human recruiting them. The middle part of a venn diagram is where current Amazon employees and job applicants apply for the same job. A request for comment from Amazon was not responded to.
It is because this sounds familiar. Artificial intelligence was built by Amazon a decade ago, but it failed due to discrimination against women.
Nathan Esquenazi wrote for Venture Beat that the problem with the use of artificial intelligence in hiring is that it can allow biases. Code Path is a nonprofit that seeks to create diversity in tech by transforming college computer science education for underrepresented minorities and underserved populations.
We owe it to the people at greatest risk of bias to proceed with this technology with extreme caution. It can lead to bad hiring decisions by companies that can't afford to refill positions. It can keep smart, talented people from getting high-paying jobs in high-demand fields, limiting not only their economic mobility but also their right to live a happy, successful life.
According to an internal document obtained by Recode, the new hiring artificial intelligence is guarded against biases based on race and gender. Amazon isn't saying if this artificial intelligence will or won't replace hundreds of laid off recruiters.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the busiest shopping days of the year. While this feels like a gift that keeps on giving, it isn't for all the employees who just got laid off by Amazon.
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