The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a report outlining recommendations for the fair and lawful use of artificial intelligence in screening job applicants. Following a sector-wide review, the ICO emphasized the importance of fairness, data minimization, and increased transparency in processing personal information for recruitment purposes.

AI tools can streamline recruitment by filtering unqualified candidates, scoring applicants against job requirements, and summarizing CVs. However, tools developed without by-design adherence to applicable privacy laws may negatively affect candidates and fairness in the screening process.

The ICO's findings revealed instances of non-compliance including potential discrimination and fairness issues. For instance, some tools were found to infer candidates' gender or ethnicity or to process excessive personal data without clear justification or consent.