FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 21, 2023

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: brian.phillips@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Clarke joined with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce the Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023 to create new protections for people affected by AI systems that are already impacting decisions affecting housing, credit, education and other high-impact uses. The bill applies to new generative AI systems used for critical decisions, as well as other AI and automated systems.

“Americans do not forfeit their civil liberties when they go online. But when corporations with vast resources continue to allow their AI systems to carry biases against vulnerable groups, the reality is that countless have and will continue to face prejudice in digital spaces,” said Congresswoman Clarke. “No longer can lines of code remain exempt from our anti-discrimination laws. My bill recognizes that every algorithm has an author and every bias has an origin and that, through proper regulation, we can ensure safety, inclusion, and equity are truly priorities in critical decisions affecting Americans’ lives.”

“AI is making choices, today, about who gets hired for a job, whether someone can rent an apartment and what school someone can attend. Our bill will pull back the curtain on these systems to require ongoing testing to make sure artificial intelligence that is responsible for critical decisions actually works, and doesn’t amplify bias based on where a person lives, where they go to church or the color of their skin,” said Senator Wyden.

“We know of too many real-world examples of AI systems that have flawed or biased algorithms: automated processes used in hospitals that understate the health needs of Black patients; recruiting and hiring tools that discriminate against women and minority candidates; facial recognition systems with higher error rates among people with darker skin; and more. The Algorithmic Accountability Act would require that automated systems be assessed for biases, hold bad actors accountable, and ultimately help to create a safer AI future,” said Senator Booker.

The bill requires companies to conduct impact assessments for effectiveness, bias and other factors, when using artificial intelligence to make critical decisions. It also creates, for the first time, a public repository at the Federal Trade Commission of these systems, and adds 75 staff to the commission to enforce the law. 

Read the full bill text here.

###

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has been in Congress since 2007. She represents New York’s Ninth Congressional District, which includes Central and South Brooklyn and serves as First Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.