A recent Glassdoor report revealed that the surge in the adoption of AI tools like ChatGPT among professionals in the workplace, more than doubling within the year of its launch!
Are you using AI for HR-related tasks? Have you considered doing so? If yes, read on because Inova’s partner, Mineral, outlines below the advantages and risks HR professionals using AI need to know.
For those of you unfamiliar with Mineral, they’re a leading provider of AI-powered solutions that help take the guesswork out of HR and compliance for growing businesses.
Now, let’s get started…
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, encompasses a range of technologies enabling machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as prediction, decision-making, and generating content. One notable example is generative AI models, which can produce text, images, audio, and video based on user prompts. ChatGPT falls into this category as a large language model, akin to the text prediction feature found in messaging apps, albeit on a larger scale and with greater complexity.
It’s crucial to recognize that AI lacks actual intelligence; it isn’t sentient or capable of subjective experiences. While ChatGPT can give compliments, for instance, it is devoid of genuine sentiment as AI lacks emotions, perceptions, or opinions. Consequently, AI should complement human judgment rather than serve as a replacement.
Navigating the Legal Landscape
When incorporating AI into your decision-making processes or to help you take action, it’s imperative to adhere to existing employment laws. All the laws and regulations that govern employment still apply. Whether it’s hiring, promotions, or benefits administration, AI-driven actions must remain free from discrimination. When AI is involved in offering and managing employee benefits, it must adhere to the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act (ERISA) regulations for applicable employers. Similarly, using AI for data analysis requires compliance with laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and other relevant legislation. It’s crucial to understand that employing AI for HR-related projects or tasks doesn’t exempt organizations from their compliance responsibilities.
As AI continues to permeate workplaces, legislative and regulatory measures can be expected. States like Illinois and Maryland, along with cities like New York City, have already begun regulating AI use in hiring practices.
Recommended Best Practices
If you’re considering leveraging AI for HR and compliance purposes, here are some best practices Mineral recommends:
- Conduct thorough evaluation and testing of AI tools, understanding that perfection isn’t attainable, but some tools may be more reliable than others. Consult with a legal professional when vetting AI vendors and reviewing contracts.
- Uphold the highest level of privacy standards and practices in all interactions and information exchanged with AI systems.
- Establish clear AI policies or guidelines to inform employees about appropriate AI usage.
- Rely on human expertise to evaluate AI-generated content. Assume AI can and will make mistakes.
- Allocate time for fact-checking info and materials developed by AI and monitor AI usage for discriminatory outcomes and other unlawful practices.
- Ensure that any AI products you use align with your organizational objectives and business needs.
- Craft an AI strategy defining objectives and metrics for success. Regularly assess AI implementations against these benchmarks. For instance, if AI aims to streamline processes, ensure that it’s achieving time savings as intended.
- Foster transparency with staff regarding AI initiatives, recognizing diverse attitudes towards AI’s impact on job roles. As you develop and implement AI initiatives, proactively gauge morale, solicit regular feedback input, and express gratitude for it. Involving employees in shaping AI’s role in your organization can boost acceptance and engagement.
Practices to Steer Clear
Certain practices may spell trouble for your organization. Here are some things the team at Mineral recommends avoiding:
- Assuming that an AI model or the output it generates automatically adheres to federal and state regulations. For instance, an AI tool tasked with drafting a termination letter might generate reasons for termination without a proper basis, potentially including unlawful justifications. It’s essential not to blindly rely on AI-generated resources or publish AI-produced content without thoroughly vetting it.
- Being swayed by the confidence tone of AI. Despite sounding authoritative, AI may disseminate incorrect or fabricated information.
- Relying on AI to make employment decisions. AI doesn’t earn you a “get out of liability free” card.
- Developing legally or legally required documents with generative AI.
- Uploading anything into an AI model that you wouldn’t want to be shared or that goes against your privacy and confidentiality policies.
Harness AI for HR Success
HR and compliance are 24/7 responsibilities demanding accuracy and precision. And while AI technology isn’t poised to replace human intelligence, HR teams that are adept at leveraging AI capabilities will emerge as industry leaders.
The Mineral Platform, featuring its AI-powered Mineral Intelligence™, combines data, technology, and human expertise to help more than 1 million businesses stay ahead of the HR and compliance curve.
With Mineral, you can:
- Escape the compliance maze with proactive alerts and actionable guidance tailored to your business.
- Ditch outdated handbooks for easy-to-create Smart Handbooks that automatically update as applicable laws and regulations change.
- Meet employee training requirements with core employee training courses and optional upgrades to enrich and expand the curriculum.
- Simplify your workload with a modern, intuitive dashboard and personalized to-do list.
- Find your perfect hires faster with a Job Description Builder that simplifies the process.
Interested in learning more about how Mineral can take the guesswork out of HR and compliance for you and your team? Watch the recording of our recent webinar, Conquering HR & Compliance with Confidence Using the New Mineral Platform.
