Housingwire, May 21, 2024, Zillow’s New AI Tool Aims To Promote Equality In Housing
Zillow announced the release of an open-source tool, the Fair Housing Classifier, on Tuesday as part of the company’s efforts to “promote responsible and unbiased behavior in real estate conversations powered by large language model (LLM) technology.“
In a news release, Zillow explained that artificial intelligence (AI) tools often fail to account for the myriad requirements of fair housing laws. These tools, when deployed, “can perpetuate bias and undermine the progress achieved in advocating for fair housing.“
The Fair Housing Classifier is designed to act as a protective measure against steering, or the act of influencing a person’s choice of home based upon protected characteristics. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 — which was expanded in 1974 and 1988 — prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status or national origin.
