The Algorithm: How AI Decides Who Gets Hired, Monitored, Promoted, and Fired and Why We Need to Fight Back Now

In The Algorithm, Emmy-award winning journalist Hilke Schellmann delivers a compelling exposé on the covert rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and its impact on privacy, civil rights, and human futures. Through meticulous investigative journalism, Schellmann uncovers how AI has infiltrated hiring practices, employee monitoring, and even psychological profiling, often without the public’s awareness.

Schellmann’s investigative journey includes firsthand accounts from job applicants and employees subjected to AI-driven processes, such as video games used for hiring assessments and algorithms that analyze online behavior to create detailed personality profiles. She explores the disturbing reality of AI tools that track every keystroke, scrutinize facial expressions, and predict emotional states based on vocal analysis. Her reporting exposes the extent to which employers already exploit these technologies and highlights the lack of transparency surrounding their use.

In addition to showcasing the personal stories of those affected by faulty AI systems, Schellmann reveals systemic biases embedded within these technologies, leading to discrimination against women and people of color. The book underscores the urgent need to reevaluate how AI tools are implemented in workplaces and advocates for more humane and equitable approaches to hiring, promotion, and employee treatment.

The Algorithm not only provides a sobering look at the pervasive reach of AI but also calls for a critical rethinking of how these tools are developed and regulated. Schellmann’s work, backed by her extensive experience as an investigative reporter, serves as a crucial reminder of the need for safeguards and ethical considerations in our increasingly AI-driven world.