Algorithmic Accountability: Moving Beyond Audits.

Kak, A., Myers West, S., Calcaño Bertorelli, A., Whittaker, M., & McInerney, K. (2023. April 11). Algorithmic Accountability: Moving Beyond Audits. 2023 Landscape: Confronting Tech Power, AI Now Institute. https://ainowinstitute.org/publication/algorithmic-accountability

This report critiqued the rapid adoption of algorithmic auditing as a primary tool for AI accountability, arguing that these methods often fail to address the structural power dynamics inherent in the tech industry. While technical and socio-technical evaluations aim to identify bias, they frequently devolve into performative "checkbox" exercises that lack clear standards and place an unfair burden on under-resourced researchers and marginalized communities. The text warns that the tech industry has strategically embraced these procedural mechanisms to avoid more stringent, substantive regulations that would challenge their fundamental business models. Ultimately, the authors advocate for moving beyond voluntary frameworks toward impactful interventions that prioritize transparency, governance audits, and the protection of independent research to truly mitigate systemic harms.