Individuals should be treated as individuals and not on the basis of their membership in racial groups, especially by our government. Unfortunately, a new executive orderencourages federal agencies to focus on racial group identity rather than the character and qualifications of employees and contractors. It will result in racial quotas in hiring, procuring, and even using artificial intelligence throughout the government.
The executive order also requires agencies to use “artificial intelligence and automated systems … in a manner that advances equity.” Computers cannot have the same kind of racial biases that humans do. Although the federal government can take appropriate measures to ensure that artificial intelligence is not used for intentional discrimination, it would be wrong to require that artificial intelligence be used in a manner that yields proportional demographic results. As with employment and contracting, this obsession with proportionality will lead to discrimination in violation of civil rights laws.