Catapulting DEI Progress: Exploring AI’s Role

By Emma Garcia

The Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership (EGAL), in partnership with Tina Shah Paikeday, Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab, Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, Latino Corporate Directors Association, Ascend Leadership, Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), and Findem, recently co-hosted an enlightening roundtable discussion, “Catapulting Talent DEI Progress Through Artificial Intelligence,” on campus at UC Berkeley. The event brought together thought leaders, AI experts, university faculty, and DEI advocates to explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies. With the aim of leveraging AI to drive meaningful DEI progress, the event provided a forum for forward-thinking discussions, practical applications, and a collective call to action.

The Promise of AI in Tackling Bias and Accelerating DEI

One of the central themes of the roundtable was the potential for AI to reduce human biases, particularly in hiring and performance evaluations. While AI is often seen as reinforcing existing inequalities, the discussion flipped that assumption, exploring how AI, when designed carefully and with intention, can build more inclusive environments by mitigating bias at scale. This opens new doors for companies looking to strengthen their DEI strategies through technology.

DEI Strategies: Bolted On, Built In, & Born Inclusive

The event explored three approaches for integrating DEI with AI:

• Bolted On: Adding DEI initiatives without majorly altering the structure of the organization.
• Built In: Embedding DEI into everyday operations, from on-boarding to promotions, ensuring it becomes a seamless part of the process.
• Born Inclusive: Designing systems and processes with inclusivity at their core, right from the start.

These strategies highlighted the importance of thinking beyond surface-level changes and creating structures that support sustainable DEI progress.

AI’s Role in Transforming Hiring and Performance Evaluations

Hiring and performance reviews can be rife with unconscious bias, which is where AI-powered tools come in. The roundtable showcased how AI can offer solutions like blind resume screenings and objective performance assessments, helping to remove human bias from decision-making. One example discussed was an AI tool which evaluates employees objectively to suggest promotions based on merit rather than subjective human judgments.

Addressing Bias in AI: Faculty Perspectives

A panel of university faculty tackled the critical issue of bias within AI systems. As AI tools are often developed by homogenous teams, they can unintentionally reinforce societal stereotypes. The discussion emphasized that to truly harness AI’s potential, organizations need to actively audit and challenge bias in these systems.

In addition, the panel dove into the complexities of defining fairness in AI. Concepts like “The New Jim Code” underscored how technology can sometimes reinforce biases under the guise of neutrality. It became clear that achieving fairness in AI is no simple task, and it requires continuous effort and refinement.

AI in Action: Real-World Case Studies and Insights

The roundtable shared real-world experiments that showcased AI’s potential to drive positive change in hiring practices. These case studies highlighted both the promise and limitations of AI, underscoring the importance of human oversight. AI can be a powerful tool in detecting bias and offering data-driven recommendations, but ultimately, humans must ensure the ethical application of these insights.

Debiased by Design: AI-Driven Hiring Solutions

One of the most impactful sessions, “Debiased by Design,” focused on how AI can reduce human biases in recruitment. From standardizing assessments to debiasing job descriptions, AI is helping companies make more objective hiring decisions. Case studies from the veteran job market showed how accurate data and AI tools can create more inclusive hiring processes, paving the way for a more diverse workforce.

A Call to Action: Leadership and Accountability in the AI-DEI Space

The event concluded with a powerful call to action: AI-driven DEI progress requires strong leadership and commitment. Executives must champion these initiatives for them to succeed. While AI is a valuable tool in identifying diverse talent and reducing bias, it should complement — not replace — human judgment. Leadership needs to ensure AI is integrated across all levels of the organization for a holistic and lasting approach to DEI.

Conclusion: Shaping a More Inclusive Future with AI

The Catapulting Talent DEI Progress Through Artificial Intelligence Thought Leadership Forum was a testament to the power of combining technology and inclusivity. With the right leadership and careful, ethical implementation, AI has the potential to advance DEI efforts in a way that creates more equitable environments for all. As organizations look to the future, they must embrace AI as a tool to empower their DEI goals, ensuring that human oversight guides its development and application.

If you would like to participate in a pilot experiment conducting a hypothetical search to hire candidates using bias training, a large language model, and AI powered business intelligence tool, please reach out to tina@talentadvisoryboard.org.