On February 3, 2022 U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2022 alongside Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY). As the press release published by Senator Wyden’s office states, the goal of this bill is to introduce greater transparency and oversight on software, algorithms, and other automated systems used to make consequential decisions. The bill would require companies to conduct regular impact assessments for bias and effectiveness on their automated systems. It would also create a new public repository at the FTC of these systems along with 75 new employees to enforce the law.
“As algorithms and other automated decision systems take on increasingly prominent roles in our lives, we have a responsibility to ensure that they are adequately assessed for biases that may disadvantage minority or marginalized communities,” said Senator Booker in the release. Artificial intelligence is not neutral or egalitarian. Instead, these systems have the power to exacerbate systemic biases. The goal of this bill is to create more accountability among corporations who use AI in their business practices.