algorithms

Insurers and health systems are turning to artificial intelligence to help determine whether patients get approved for care, from prior authorizations to coverage decisions. Critics warn the algorithms can deny or delay treatment with little human oversight and limited transparency for patients. The debate centers on whether AI tools make coverage decisions faster and cheaper at the cost of patient safety and fairness.

Teachers working for Multiverse, the apprenticeship company founded by Euan Blair, say they have suffered 'horrendous stress' after artificial intelligence was used to assess and rate their work. The Guardian reports concerns among staff about being judged by algorithms, adding to a wider debate about the growing use of AI to evaluate employees' performance in UK workplaces.

The President of Russia has signed a law introducing administrative fines for violations of rules on user authorisation on Russian websites, including logging in through foreign services, as well as breaches of rules governing recommendation technologies. The amendments amend the Code of Administrative Offences. Observers see the measure as a further tightening of state control over how Russian internet users sign in to platforms and how sites recommend content.

Human Rights Watch has published a piece titled 'The Inhumanity of the Algorithms', raising concerns about the human cost of automated decision-making systems. The organisation argues that algorithms used by governments and companies can cause serious harm to people's rights, and it is calling for greater scrutiny and accountability over how these systems are designed and deployed.