8th September 2023
The survey conducted by the BIAS Consortium aims to comprehensively explore the personal attitudes, experiences, and perceptions of job applicants and workers concerning the use of AI applications in the labour market, with a specific focus on addressing diversity biases.
This survey represents a significant effort to gather insights into the multifaceted impact of AI technology on the employment landscape and inform policy and decision-making in this rapidly evolving domain.
Geographical Representation: The survey aims to achieve geographical representation and collect data from a broad and diverse range of respondents, including those from the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Türkiye. It has already reached individuals in several EU Member States and includes many European nationalities, covering nearly all except a few. The survey has also attracted participation from third-country nationals residing in Europe, adding a layer of diversity.
Demographic Diversity: The survey addresses various demographic aspects, including age, education level, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, minority group identification, disability, trade union affiliation, political opinions, religious affiliation, and more. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of how different demographic factors may influence individuals’ experiences and perspectives regarding AI applications in the labour market.
AI Interaction and Experience: We capture respondents’ personal experiences with AI applications in the labour market, including sectors in which they have encountered AI, the types of AI applications they have interacted with (such as data analysis, job matching, skills testing, and more), the purposes of these AI applications (recruitment, performance improvement, training), and the transparency and human involvement in these interactions. Understanding how AI technology is utilized in various employment sectors and for different purposes is crucial to assessing its impact comprehensively.
Fairness and Bias Assessment: The survey delves deeply into respondents’ perceptions of fairness and diversity bias within AI applications. It seeks to understand how comfortable individuals feel about AI applications in the labour market, their views on collecting personal data, and whether they have experienced negative or positive discrimination. It also explores whether respondents believe collecting personal data is necessary for effectively performing job tasks.
General Attitudes and Definitions of Fairness: The survey gauges respondents’ general attitudes towards fairness and AI applications in the labour market, including assessing whether respondents hold positive, negative, or neutral attitudes and how they rank the impact of AI deployment on various aspects of the labour market. Additionally, the survey seeks to identify respondents’ preferred definitions of fairness, shedding light on what they consider fair practices in AI technology.
The Role of AI in Shaping the Labor Market: Overall, the survey’s overarching purpose is to provide comprehensive insights into how AI applications shape the labour market and impact individuals’ experiences and perceptions. It aims to capture diverse perspectives to inform future developments in AI technology and ensure that policies and practices are designed with fairness, diversity, and inclusivity in mind.
The insights gathered from this survey will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between AI, diversity, and the labour market, helping to shape responsible and inclusive practices in the evolving world of work.
Do not miss the opportunity to contribute to this European endeavour and share your experience by participating in the survey through the following link: Survey Participation.