• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact

Daily Business Magazine

A magazine complement to the Daily Business website

  • Life, Arts & Leisure
    • Creative
    • Festival
      • Festival Reviews
    • Film
    • Food & Drink
    • Stage Shows
    • Life
    • Leisure
      • Rio Recommends – dog walks and cafes
    • Homes
    • Style
    • Travel
  • Opinion
    • Bill Magee
    • Craig Alexander Rattray
    • Karen Harvie
    • Keith Anderson
    • Russell Dalgleish
    • Terry Murden
  • Interviews
  • Notebook
  • Working Life
    • Careers & Management
    • Finance and legal
    • Technology
      • Tech Talk
    • Well Being
  • Daily Business News
    • All Content

AI lacking rhythm in search for staff

November 28, 2021 by Bill Magee Leave a Comment

Bill Magee

TECH TALK: Algorithms are a key feature of data analytics, but the metrics don’t always make sense, says BILL MAGEE


Those pesky artificially intelligent algorithms are at it again as bot-by-bot they stealthily take over our very human, but rather chaotic, business lives. Computerised automated analytic/predictive software programs have already been blamed for sending a self-driving car into a crash zone and wrongly downgrading thousands of students’ exam results. Now, a Harvard Business Review (HBR) study concludes that AI is bamboozling talent-hungry businesses in their efforts to fill vital skills gaps.

No doubt, representatives from some of those very companies listened intently to an impressive line-up of speakers at last week’s Data Summit. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised the Edinburgh gathering that ethical use of data and AI is central to her government’s policy.

Yet, uncertainty lingers. When 189 delegates were asked if they thought Scotland is on track to become a leader in ethical and inclusive AI, just 57% said “yes”. Not an overwhelming margin by any means.

HBR highlights management and leadership challenges amid the “buzz” and “hype” surrounding AI problem-solving. Typically, algorithms are employed through what’s known as “means-end analysis” towards finding a path to a target goal.

In an (unreported) recruitment report of organisations based in the US, UK and Germany, nine-out-of-ten surveyed admit their experience in using internet algorithmic (ro)bots (or is it robotic algorithms?) is apparently resulting in qualified and highly-skilled candidates being “vetted out” of the process.

It seems recruiters are being repeatedly misled by such inflexibly configured metrics giving feedback that is plain faulty.

Digital algorithms conjure up images of “The Matrix” and “Robocop”, highlighting a time where AI takes over all our jobs, pushing humans to the sidelines. If only we hadn’t given technology so much free rein.

Author Cathy O’Neil ratchets up the uncertainty in her book “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy”.

The academic warns against blindly trusting algorithms when making sensitive decisions claiming they can prove harmful to many people.

O’Neil cites “algorithmic bias” along with dangerous feedback loops expanding into all sectors of daily life including the economy and criminal justice system.

HBR agrees, claiming such AI-driven systems are letting organisations down, at the very time when they are in desperate need to tap talent pools.

Computerised sets of mathematical instructions set to supposedly solve a problem regularly, instead, apply over-strict conditions that exclude perfectly viable candidates for a job.

HBR’s survey reveals that 88% of employers admit qualified and highly-skilled individuals don’t make it in the recruitment process.

The study found that by ill-matching CVs to commercial needs, the individual fails to match the exact criteria established by a job description as mapped out by the algorithm.

Such automated systems are increasingly representing the “foundation of the hiring process” with 90% of employers surveyed also saying they used such systems because they believed they will “initially filter or rank potential middle-skills and high-skills candidates”.

HBR says this is now shown to be a mistake. Yet, if handled properly, algorithms can and do prove essential to business and commerce.

A prime example is Barracuda Networks, a Gartner 2021 Magic Quadrant “Visionary” and subject of a joint webinar with Capito IT Services and Solutions.

Barracuda’s leading spam firewall proposition utilises several algorithmic filters to ensure businesses, people and data are secured and protected.

HBR contends the same digital standard should apply to the skills field.

An algorithm can successfully form the nucleus of a job description and requirements, but its filters need to be shifted from “negative” to “affirmative” in the automated recruiting process.

Only when endowed with such new metrics can “talent” be better evaluated and organisations gradually fill that growing skills gap.

Or, better still, in the final analysis actually see all the applicants in person. At least via Zoom? Just a thought..

  • Capito won the “Best Cyber Breakthrough” prize earlier this month at the Scottish Cyber Awards 2021

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Bill Magee, Contributors, Tech Talk, Technology, Working Life Tagged With: algorithms, Bill Magee, Harvard Business Review

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar



Editor’s Pick

Dave Johns

Review: Dave Johns – A Comic’s Tale

Andy Moseley

… [More...] about Review: Dave Johns – A Comic’s Tale

Bill Magee

Securing safe passage to the metaverse economy

Terry Murden

… [More...] about Securing safe passage to the metaverse economy

Tim Key

Review: Tim Key – Mulberry

Andy Moseley

… [More...] about Review: Tim Key – Mulberry

Sook Edinburgh

Pop-ups give stores a new lease of life

Julena Drumi

… [More...] about Pop-ups give stores a new lease of life

Advertising



Footer

  • All Content
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • WordPress

Copyright © 2022 · Design by jPAD Consulting · Magazine Pro · Genesis Framework

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...