SENATOR MARONEY HIGHLIGHTS DANGERS OF AI THAT WOULD WORSEN HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

Today, State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) issued a statement following a CT Insider report on housing discrimination that underscores the importance of protecting members of the public from numerous forms of such discrimination, which could be made worse in coming years by rapid deployment and development of AI platforms for that purpose. The report, published May 18, said that more than half of open federal housing discrimination investigations in Connecticut are older than 100 days and that housing vouchers are limited in their accessibility across communities, among other concerns.

“As many as 75% of landlords expect to at some point use AI as part of their screening of potential tenants. When our housing systems are already experiencing significant cases of discrimination, seen in this article from CT Insider, this is a setting rife for further exploitation and problems regarding the use of AI technology. I am extremely concerned that unprotected and unregulated use of AI will negatively contribute to the housing disparities and discrimination we already see in our communities, further deepening this problem that is already frustrating and discouraging so many. This only reinforces my resolve to move forward policies related to AI that will support the future of its uses – it can provide transformative improvements if done correctly, but can have disastrous consequences if rushed or impractically considered.”