A recent survey by global employment nonprofit organization Generation has revealed a troubling trend in the workplace: age discrimination in the AI sector is becoming an increasingly severe issue.
This survey, which covered 2,610 employees over 45 years old and 1,488 employers, shows that while 90% of American hiring managers acknowledge that middle-aged and older employees perform on par with or better than their younger counterparts, they tend to favor candidates under 35 for AI-related positions. This bias is also prevalent among European employers.
Image Source Note: The image is AI-generated, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney
This finding comes at a particularly sensitive time. Currently, businesses in the US and Europe are expecting a double-digit decline in hiring for junior and mid-level positions in the coming year, which is expected to disproportionately impact middle-aged and older job seekers.
For older employees, the situation is already severe. A survey by employment opportunity organization CWI Labs of over 1,600 Americans shows that 60% of older job seekers consider age to be a barrier to their job search, with only 21% expecting to find a job within the next six months.
More concerning is that age discrimination not only exists among HR professionals but also extends to AI-based HR technologies. These recruitment platforms often use algorithms to screen candidates, leading to certain groups, including older professionals, being excluded. This is why many legal experts warn of potential dangers in AI recruitment systems.
Mona Mourshed, Global Founding CEO of Generation, stated: "This survey highlights the importance of continuing to combat age discrimination, while also pointing out an opportunity: in an AI-driven workplace, we need to take a more nuanced perspective and fully leverage the unique value brought by employees of different ages and levels of experience."
This phenomenon not only reflects biases in the AI industry but also mirrors deeper challenges facing the entire job market. Finding a balance between technological innovation and talent diversity will be an important issue that the HR field must confront in the future.