Dive Brief:

• Pymetrics, an artificial-intelligence tech startup, announced that it has established a system that matches candidates to the right jobs where they will perform well, without the bias that often comes with using human recruiters, reported Business Insider.
• Using games based on neuroscience, Pymetrics relies on a proprietary algorithm that measures 70 cognitive and emotional traits of candidates, including soft skills like detail orientation, focus, memory ability, and risk-taking behavior. It removes certain identifying information like gender, age, race and more. 
• So far, Pymetrics has raised $17 million in funding and is working with large companies like Unilever.

Dive Insight:

Bias in hiring is a persistent problem; even when unintentional, it can block capable candidates from employment opportunities.

Through the use of AI and machine learning, experts are aiming to use technology to remove human bias from the recruiting and hiring processes. In the last few months, there have been a number of new tech firms that have launched AI-enabled platforms that match candidates up with jobs based on their innate qualities and traits, instead of humans' tendency to sometimes focus on candidates' appearance or gender, for example.

But while AI may very well be able to reduce bias, employers must remember that they — and not any third-party vendor — are responsible for ensuring compliance with EEO laws. Products that use big data may have other biases built in, so HR needs to ask questions and fully understand how software and games work.