Emerging Technology
day one project

Creating Transparency and Fairness in Automated Decision Systems for Administrative Agencies

11.20.20 | 1 min read | Text by Kevin Wei

Summary

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to make decisions about human welfare. Automated decision systems (ADS) administer U.S. social benefits programs—such as unemployment and disability benefits—across local, state, and Federal governments. While ADS have the potential to enable large gains in efficiency, they also run a high risk of reinforcing the class- and race-based inequities of the status quo. Additionally, the use of these systems is not transparent, often leaving individuals with no meaningful recourse after a decision has been made. Individuals may not even know that ADS played a role in the decision-making process.

The Federal Government should take immediate action to promote the transparency and accountability of automated decision systems. Agencies must build internal technical capacity as well as data cultures centered around transparency, accountability, and fairness. The White House should require that agencies using ADS undertake a notice-and-comment process to disclose information about these systems to the public. Finally, in the long-term, Congress must pass comprehensive legislation to implement a single, national standard regulating the use of ADS across sectors and use cases.

publications
See all publications
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Digital Product Passports: Transforming America’s Linear Economy to Combat Waste, Counterfeits, and Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

A shift toward more circular, transparent systems would not only reduce waste and increase efficiency, but also unlock new business models, strengthen supply chain resilience, and give consumers better, more reliable information about the products they choose.

07.16.25 | 10 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Improve healthcare data capture at the source to build a learning health system

By better harnessing the power of data, we can build a learning healthcare system where outcomes drive continuous improvement and where healthcare value leads the way.

07.11.25 | 8 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
Meeting the moment for bold, ambitious science reform agenda: FAS and Good Science Project partner on R&D reform sprint

In this unprecedented inflection point (and time of difficult disruption) for higher education, science funding, and agency structure, we have an opportunity to move beyond incremental changes and advocate for bold, new ideas that envision a future of the scientific research enterprise that looks very different from the current system.

07.10.25 | 3 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Reduce Administrative Research Burden with ORCID and DOI Persistent Digital Identifiers

Assigning persistent digital identifiers (Digital Object Identifiers, or DOIs) and using ORCIDs (Open Researcher and Contributor IDs) for key personnel to track outputs for research grants will improve the accountability and transparency of federal investments in research and reduce reporting burden.

07.10.25 | 8 min read
read more