Tech giants like Google and Apple have committed to sweeping changes, offering hope for a future where inclusion and equity are standard in industry processes-especially in hiring. However, real change also requires an examination of the past and present biases humans have brought to the tech solutions companies use. And leaders must raise awareness of inherent biases in the technology they use.
A pervasive and overlooked issue
The tech industry struggles with transparency, accountability, and awareness, hampering efforts to reform bias in products before they start
- Additionally, tech’s historic lack of diversity can manifest itself in the products people create
- Consider Amazon
- Their AI was trained to sort out candidates based on 10-year old resume data of past applicants-who were primarily men
3 Ways to Evaluate Bias in New Tech
Prioritize equitable and anti-biased decision-making
- Push vendors for transparency
- Voice concerns about companies that don’t share information about their anti-bias efforts
- Incentivize inclusive features
- Consider differences in culture, language, and disability
Take the first step
Root out human biases in your organization’s internal datasets and those you acquire from third-party vendors
- By pushing for more transparency and accountability, adopting a more detailed purchase decision process and making inclusive products a priority, you can raise awareness and help lead the charge in eliminating human bias in tech.
