Heed new OCR guidance for avoiding discriminatory uses of AI

Abstract

Much has been written about the ethics of using artificial intelligence in higher education. Less has been written about the legal implications of using AI at colleges and universities, especially considering discrimination laws. However, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights recently threw its hat into the ring and published a resource titled “Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Artificial Intelligence.” Note: while this guidance was published shortly before President Trump took office, as of press time, it had not been altered, so it still contains useful information for colleges. Because the Education Department and OCR have deleted hundreds of webpages, the guide can be found here.