Artificial Intelligence in the public sector: Meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty

AI and new digital technologies are transforming how public services are delivered. They have the potential to improve equality, but they may also lead to discrimination. If public bodies don’t take steps to guard against this, they may face reputational damage and legal action for breaches of the Equality Act 2010, including the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). Public bodies need to consider the PSED from the very start when thinking about whether to use AI. This session will introduce you to the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance Artificial Intelligence: Meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty. It will also share learning from the Commission’s recent “deep dive” into how local authorities in England and Scotland are approaching equality when using AI, including some best practice examples and pitfalls to avoid.