Imagine someone evaluating a candidate before a single question is asked. The recruiter peers at a CV and forms an impression based on something the candidate loves or resists. If the motive behind that affinity or aversion shifts, the assessment shifts too. In hiring, more than 50 biases can sway decisions, and if an AI system inherits those same cues, the effect persists in automated tools across North America and beyond.
The IA+Igual initiative, born from a collaboration among IN2, the CVA communications agency, and the Observatory for Human Resources, aims to define an algorithm audit model that ensures fairness and reliability. The project is supported by the Community of Madrid with €999,370.91, complemented by European funds from the Next Generation plan, and is scheduled to run through June 2025. The goal is to explore how AI can be deployed responsibly in recruitment and people-management processes across market contexts in the United States and Canada.
Over the planned two-year period, IA+Igual will progress through three interconnected phases. A multidisciplinary council—drawing insights from history, psychology, labor unions, and data protection—will guide the work to align outcomes with human-centric values while keeping a close eye on regulatory standards and practical impact in real-world hiring. The cadence will emphasize ethics, transparency, and accountability as core design principles.
In the first phase, led by IN2, the team will examine the AI tools currently used by ten organizations, including representatives from major market segments. The goal is to build a theoretical framework that can undergird trustworthy deployment. Subsequent inspections of these tools will be complemented by ORH’s development of training content tailored for human resources professionals, ensuring that evaluators and managers alike can interpret AI-driven insights with accuracy and care.
Ultimately, the initiative intends to address a central challenge of the technology: the risk of misinformation. CVA will handle communication and awareness, explaining how HR-focused algorithms operate, the benefits they offer, and the best practices for managing them in organizations across North America. The work will culminate in a whitepaper that outlines a certification model and practical recommendations for auditing algorithms used in human resources.
Boss’s co-pilot
The idea behind IA+Igual grew from healthcare roots five years ago, but the focus now centers on human resources. Maite Sáenz, managing partner of ORH, notes that AI, when used well, can help HR become a strategic partner that adds real value to the business.
However, misapplication can lead to discrimination. IN2 partner Félix Villar warns that engineers must consider the human factor and not reduce AI to a mere statistical tool. In his view, AI is essentially a highly advanced probability engine that learns from the data it encounters, and its impact hinges on responsible design and governance.
Recent conversations highlight how some HR leaders are already using AI to spot turnover risks or assess performance. As Sáenz puts it, when used to full potential, artificial intelligence could become the boss’s co-pilot in people management, guiding decisions with data while leaving space for human judgment.
The potential applications extend beyond routine tasks. In markets facing talent shortages and high variability, AI can power large-scale processes. In public programs such as employment service portals, AI could help tailor training and connect job seekers with employers through intelligent cross-referencing of profiles. CVA’s Marisa Cruzado emphasizes a broader aim: to broaden thinking, encouraging social-service professionals to approach challenges from fresh angles rather than default routines.