• Duration: 04.03.2019 - 01.05.2020
  Funding Organization: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung
  
  Prof. Dr. Katharina A. Zweig
  University of Kaiserslautern-Landau
  
  

  In some companies already, machine learning and artificial intelligence methods are used to make decisions about job applications, to evaluate the performance of employees and to identify the best talents. On the other hand, artificial intelligence can also be used to facilitate repetitive tasks, to support employees in the (physically) optimal execution of a task or to quickly guide customers to the right product or the right employee. It is immediately clear that in many (future) areas of application of artificial intelligence, this touches on issues that affect the works council - but very few people feel trained for this or are already able to overview the possible consequences of the use of artificial intelligence in the company.

  The Algorithm Accountability Lab has therefore developed and evaluated a training course for works councillors that teaches the following competences:
  1) Participants can define the term AI and recognise when AI software is used.
  2) Participants have learned about a selection of AI applications that are currently being tested in research and could be used in the workplace in the future.
  3) Participants have learned about a tool to identify the applications that fall within their field.
  4) Participants have become familiar with a second tool with which they can determine whether damage is to be expected due to errors of judgement by AI and how high these are.
  5) Participants know, depending on the identified depth of harm category, which questions need to be asked when introducing such AI applications that fall within their domain in order to be able to decide on their use.
  6) Participants can classify the answers to the questions and thus decide what to do in the next step.
  7) Participants know different possibilities for gaining transparency in algorithmic decision-making systems and for controlling them.

  
  

AI Focus Areas of the Research Project

• Basic Research

  • Technology Analysis: Social and Legal Framework, Ethical Aspects, Sociological Aspects, Social Justice Aspects



• Application related Research

  • Technology Analysis: Requirements Analysis, Sociological Aspects, Non-Discrimination, Traceability / Explainability, Initial and Continuing Education