Consumer Reports and other consumer and worker organizations switched to supporting California’s A.B. 2930, a bill tackling bias in artificial intelligence tools, after the bill’s author strengthened the legislation. Previously, Consumer Reports took a ‘support if amended’ stance on the bill.
A.B. 2930 would create new requirements for companies that develop and use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in high-stakes decisions about consumers and workers, such as access to employment, credit, housing, insurance, and more. It would require companies to assess their tools for the risk of algorithmic discrimination, and would prohibit companies from using tools if they found a reasonable risk of discrimination. It would also require companies to provide information to consumers and workers when a tool will be used to make a high stakes decision about them, as well as a post-decision explanation and the opportunity to correct any incorrect personal information.
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, the bill’s sponsor, strengthened the bill in recent weeks, including by making several changes that Consumer Reports previously called for. Those changes include:
- Updating the definition of “automated decision tool” to delete a loophole
- Defining “substantial factor” so that tools that are capable of influencing the outcome of high-stakes decisions are covered by the bill
- Adding more a more robust notice for consumers before an automated decision tool is used to make a high-stakes decision about them
- Adding the requirement that companies provide a post-decision explanation and offer consumers an opportunity to correct any incorrect personal information the automated decision tool relied on
- Adding a prohibition on companies using an automated decision tool if they’ve identified a reasonable risk of algorithmic discrimination
Consumer Reports believes A.B. 2930 should be strengthened further, and looks forward to continuing work with Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.