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By Suzanne Blake
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A majority of workers say that artificial intelligence increases bias rather than reduces it, according to a new report from talent solutions company SHL.
In their latest survey, 59 percent said AI is increasing bias, and 56 percent said they only want humans reviewing job applications.
Why It Matters
Artificial intelligence has pervaded nearly every realm of everyday life, from the workforce to education and even dating.
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However, there are looming concerns over how AI could reduce jobs in the long run, and even if it prevents well-qualified applicants from getting jobs they would excel in.
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What To Know
The SHL report revealed a wide range of concerns from workers regarding AI.
A whopping 91 percent said being interviewed by an AI agent would change their perception of a company, but 54.6 percent would still interview with an AI agent to secure a job.
While 48 percent said they would take online AI courses to stay competitive, one in four workers admitted they don’t know what “AI skills” even mean.
Altogether, 67.1 percent said they believe AI is decreasing job openings, and 66 percent said all companies should be required to disclose when they use AI in the hiring process.
“AI can quickly shape the perception of a company as either innovative or impersonal,” said SHL’s Chief Science Officer Sara Gutierrez in a statement. “Most employees are open to AI that improves efficiency and consistency – and they place high value on employers being transparent about where and how it's used, particularly in decisions that impact careers.”
What People Are Saying
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: “AI was trained on biased data. All it's doing now is automating bias, learned behavior from its training. AI may reduce bias but only in very narrow, heavily controlled situations, and only when the underlying data is audited, corrected, and continuously monitored. Very few organizations are doing that level of work. Instead, they're buying a tool and trusting whatever comes out, essentially outsourcing thinking to a machine.”
What Happens Next
When AI is used in hiring, performance management, or internal investigations without transparency, oversight, or guardrails, it's simply widening the gap of bias, Driscoll said.
“AI should never replace human judgment in high-stakes decisions,” he said. “It can be a useful tool but only if companies treat it as such. It's not an infallible oracle. Without serious regulation, validation requirements, and regular oversight and audits, AI will keep reinforcing the same structural inequities we claim to be solving.”
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