Bots have become a big part of the hiring process.

New York City is taking a closer look.

From American public media, this is Marketplace Tech, I'm Megan McCarty-Korino.

New York City is gearing up to start enforcing a first of its kind law.

The requires employers in the city that use artificial intelligence tools in hiring decisions

to get those systems audited for bias.

Since the law passed in 2021, the use of AI and hiring has only increased.

Says Vikram Bargavatt, he's an assistant professor of strategic management and public

policy at George Washington University.

Algorithms have been used for, for example, screening resumes and to narrow down the set

of applicants that then the HR manager might look at in more detail.

It's also been used for things like video interviewing related tools.

And then their answers are scored according to some sort of algorithmic basis.

Now with the gendered of AI tools, I think what it does is it takes a lot of aspects

of this process would have involved human decision makers, at least to some extent still.

For example, initial conversations with the recruiter crafting rejection letters.

It's in a fairly wide range of tasks in the HR process that this can come to bear.

So this New York City law going into effect will require AI systems in hiring to be audited

for bias.

I mean, what could that actually look like in practice?

Are there standards for this process?

You know, I think the thought is that it's going to be third party auditors.

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