Council of Europe Launches Guide to Detecting Discrimination by Artificial Intelligence

The Council of Europe published on Thursday a practical guide aimed at helping equality bodies determine whether artificial intelligence systems have contributed to cases of discrimination and to identify the measures that should be taken.

The European methodology for assessing algorithmic discrimination was presented in Brussels, at the closing event of a two-year project co-financed by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Commission.

According to the Council of Europe, the new publication translates legal and technical standards and expertise into a practical, step-by-step approach for professionals handling cases of algorithmic discrimination.

The guide sets out how equality bodies can identify the algorithmic system involved in a case, gather the necessary information, and assess whether discrimination has occurred. It also provides for examining cases from legal and technical perspectives, as well as identifying the legal remedies that can be used when discrimination is established.

The publication is currently available in English, Dutch, French, Swedish, Finnish, and Portuguese.