Artificial Intelligence: What is Its Impact on the Law?

Posted on January 7, 2022, by Massey Law Group

Do you know who monitors artificial intelligence (AI) and how it aligns with the standards of fairness required by the law? Tech has made America its beta tester of AI, which makes the answer to the question of vital importance.

Discover how AI works and the legal concerns that arise from its use. In this interview, Starlett Massey and Nikki Barker, Massey Law Group attorneys, spoke with Masheika Allgood, Founder of AllAI Consulting, LLC. She studies and researches the intersection of AI and the law to help non-techies understand AI. She enables business leaders and lawyers to actively participate in decision-making around the use of AI systems in their companies, and she brings a decade of experience in this area.

Watch the interview to learn how AI is expanding its reach into our everyday lives →

For more information, please check out the following resources:

General references:

• AI and intelligence
  • https://www.ted.com/talks/janelle_shane_the_danger_of_ai_is_weirder_than_you_think/
  • https://transparent-ai.carrd.co/
• Machine learning and the law
  • https://www.masseylawgrouppa.com/artificial-intelligence-and-the-law/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/machine-learning-bias-law-masheika-allen/
• Non-AI sentencing tool (need and example)
  • https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/how-a-spreadsheet-could-change-the-criminal-justice-system/617370/
  • Equity in Sentencing Analysis System (ESAS): https://technologiesforjustice.com/about
• Underspecification problem
  • https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/11/18/1012234/training-machine-learning-broken-real-world-heath-nlp-computer-vision/

Examples of AI application across states and industries:

• Child welfare (California, Alleghenny PA)
  • http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1023048_05.04.17OCPReportonRiskAssessmentTools_SDMandPredictiveAnalytics_.pdf
    • 2019 revision: http://m.policy.dcfs.lacounty.gov/Src/Content/Structured_Decision_Making.htm
  • https://law.fiu.edu/2020/04/16/the-trials-of-predictive-analytics-in-child-welfare/
• Housing (Equifax, Ellie Mae)
  • Lending, comparative market analysis, and property appraisals: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/housing-tech-rundown-quantarium-equifax-and-ellie-mae/
• Education
  • Identifying at-risk students: https://www.edweek.org/technology/will-covid-19-spur-greater-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-k-12-education/2020/05
  • Grading: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/world/europe/uk-england-grading-algorithm.html
  • Improve retention numbers (Mount St. Mary’s): https://edscoop.com/ai-can-help-higher-ed-but-biased-data-can-harm-warns-data-scientist/
  • Applicant screening (UT Austin, CS PhD): https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/08/texas_compsci_phd_ai/
• Policing
  • DNA searches (US and EU): https://www.wired.com/story/cops-are-getting-a-new-tool-for-family-tree-sleuthing/
  • Facial recognition: https://www-vice-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/dyzykz/detroit-police-chief-facial-recognition-software-misidentifies-96-of-the-time
  • Predictive policing (NY, Chicago, LA, Pasco County FL): https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2020/investigations/police-pasco-sheriff-targeted/intelligence-led-policing/
  • Geofence warrants: https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/law-enforcement-is-using-location-tracking-on-mobile-devices-to-identify-suspects-geofence
• Social services
  • Medicaid (Illinois Mississippi Oklahoma Pennsylvania): https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/05/24/what-happens-when-states-go-hunting-for-welfare-fraud
  • Unemployment (Michigan): https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2020/11/19/opinion-unemployment-system-denied-legitimate-covid-19-claims/6339115002/
  • Unemployment – 20 States (incl. FL): https://www.govtech.com/data/Aiming-Analytics-at-Our-35-Billion-Unemployment-Insurance-Problem.html
  • Maryland, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Michigan: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/04/1013068/algorithms-create-a-poverty-trap-lawyers-fight-back/
• Hospital administration
  • Cleveland Clinic: https://emerj.com/ai-sector-overviews/top-5-hospitals-using-machine-learning/
  • American Hospital Association: https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2019/09/Market_Insights_AI_Workforce_2.pdf

Prevalence of AI in sentencing

• Sentencing (28 states)
  • Stevenson, Megan and Doleac, Jennifer L., Algorithmic Risk Assessment in the Hands of Humans (November 18, 2019). Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3489440
  • https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2019/03/21/algorithms-and-sentencing-what-does-due-process-require/
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/11/19/algorithms-were-supposed-make-virginia-judges-more-fair-what-actually-happened-was-far-more-complicated/

How credit scores feed into AI systems

• Credit data
  • “All Data Is Credit Data”: Alternative Credit Scoring with Nontraditional Data: https://columbialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Rodriguez-All_Data_Is_Not_Credit_Data-Closing_the_Gap_Between_Fair_Housing_Act_and_Algorithmic_Decisionmaking_in_the_Lending_Industry.pdf

The above is intended to inform firm clients and friends about recent developments in the law, including analysis of statutes and new case decisions. This update should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion, and readers should not act upon the information contained herein without seeking the advice of legal counsel.