AI recruitment tools may be worsening gendered ageism, women fear

Stacey Duguid, a 52-year-old professional with decades of experience, spent 16 months applying for jobs after a period of freelancing. Despite a strong career history, she received little more than automated rejections. Her social media post about the struggle resonated with thousands of women, revealing a widespread issue.

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AI holds a mirror up to society. It's a reflection of our bias.

Duguid believes AI recruitment tools are a significant factor, forcing her to "Botox" her CV by removing age and experience markers. She argues that AI reflects societal biases, particularly gendered ageism, impacting women trying to re-enter the workforce. "AI holds a mirror up to society. It's a reflection of our bias," she stated.

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I'm not saying this is just a women's issue; I've had messages from men too. My point is about gendered ageism.

Concerns are mounting that AI systems at the initial recruitment stage fail to recognize the valuable skills of many women, potentially hindering economic growth. Women who have taken career breaks for childcare may be disproportionately affected, as AI screening systems might interpret these gaps negatively. The digital taskforce estimates that AI and automation could displace hundreds of thousands of women's jobs by 2035 without substantial investment in retraining.

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There is a high level of concern that AI at initial recruitment level... doesn't account for the skills of a vast body of women that could be very effective and therefore promote economic growth.

Some London companies have reportedly stopped using AI recruitment tools due to fears of bias. AI lawyer Laura Holden highlights that companies often lack understanding of how these tools function, leading to potential "significant harm." She points to a lack of global regulation that would require AI providers to disclose their tools' workings, making it difficult to identify and address bias in systems like CV screeners and AI-scored interviews.

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When the country is desperate for economic growth, we need to use whatever resource we have, and the resource of women who are mid-career, mid-experience. If they drop out of the market there are huge repercussions.