According to Gizmodo, the cloud-based AI system used by the state of Nevada will analyze records and make recommendations on whether unemployment claims should be approved. This is a new step in using technology to support decisions related to government benefits.
The AI was trained on Nevada's unemployment laws and policies, according to the Nevada Independent.
After analyzing the online hearing transcripts, the system will produce a result. However, a state employee will carefully review the result to ensure there are no errors before deciding whether to approve or not.
The technology replaces the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation's (DETR) current processing process, which takes an average of three hours for one employee to complete.
Google's AI system, which uses the Vertex cloud platform, can make a decision in just five minutes, according to Carl Stanfield, IT administrator at DETR. "It saves a lot of time," Stanfield said.
It’s not hard to see why Nevada decided to embrace this new technology. As of June, the state had a backlog of more than 10,000 unemployment claims, including about 1,500 from the pandemic.
If the technology works correctly and staff detect its potential errors in time, the process will be much faster and more efficient.
However, some experts are concerned about using AI in such sensitive decisions. Michele Evermore, former deputy director for unemployment policy modernization at the US Department of Labor, warned that examiners could be pressured to “quickly approve” AI decisions without careful consideration.
An oversight committee will meet weekly while the state is fine-tuning the AI model and then quarterly once the system is fully operational, Stanfield explained. The goal of the meetings is to monitor for “illusory” errors and issues related to bias in the decision-making process.
One Nevada lawmaker has been outspoken in his concerns about the use of AI in welfare decisions. “Are we losing our minds?” asked state Sen. Skip Daly, who is skeptical of relying too much on algorithms and computers and stressed the need to be cautious when applying the technology. He also warned that prioritizing speed may not be the right path.
As AI advances in supporting public services like unemployment claims, Nevada faces new opportunities and challenges. While the system has the potential to be highly effective, ensuring the accuracy and fairness of AI decisions remains a matter that needs to be closely monitored and regulated.
