Imagine a large company, TechForward Inc., that receives thousands of job applications every year. To manage this, they decide to use an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to help screen these applications. The idea is that the AI can quickly review each application and select the best candidates for the job openings.

​

The AI system at TechForward Inc. is designed to learn from data. The company fed it information from past job applications, especially those that led to successful hires. The AI uses this data to understand what a good candidate looks like. It looks at things like education, work experience, skills, and even hobbies.

​

After a few months, some patterns start to emerge. The HR team notices that most of the candidates selected by the AI are from a certain gender and ethnic background. This is surprising and concerning. They realize that the AI is favoring these groups because, in the past, a majority of successful applicants happened to come from these backgrounds. This unintentional bias means that equally qualified candidates from other backgrounds are not getting the same opportunities.

​

The Ethical Dilemma:

TechForward Inc. is now facing a big challenge. They need to figure out how to make their hiring process fair and unbiased. The AI system was supposed to make hiring more efficient, but instead, it's repeating historical biases. The company must decide how to address this issue without losing the efficiency and benefits that the AI system brings.

​

Questions for Reflection:

1. What steps can TechForward Inc. take to correct the biases in their AI system?

2. How can the company ensure that their AI system treats all applicants fairly in the future?

3. What are the responsibilities of companies when using AI in hiring practices?

4. How would you feel if you were applying for a job and knew that an AI system like this was screening your application?