Rising tide of ageism in Al recruitment

AGEISM remains one of the last widely accepted and largely overlooked forms of bias in modern workplaces.

- DEBBIE GOODMAN

While discrimination based on race, gender and other protected characteristics has faced increasing scrutiny and accountability, age-related prejudice — particularly against “mature” candidates — continues to persist; often justified or simply ignored.

Discrimination amplification

And now, as artificial intelligence (AI) tools become integral to applicant tracking systems (ATS), these inherent human biases are being amplified at scale, leading to discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect older job-seekers. However, judicial and regulatory challenges globally are increasingly bringing these questionable processes into focus — and local companies should take note.

Escalating concerns over Al-induced discrimination are highlighted in global cases, including a high-profile ongoing lawsuit in the United States against Workday, where plaintiffs allege that AI-powered ATS exhibit bias through disparate impact on older candidates. And in Europe, new regulations under the EU AI Act emphasise that operators cannot evade liability by claiming ignorance or solely blaming vendors when using high-risk screening software in recruitment.