AI engineering glossary · AI ethics law product
What is disparate impact?
Disparate impact (also called adverse impact): A practice that looks neutral but disproportionately harms a protected group, regardless of intent. It is a legal concept in US anti-discrimination law and is now widely used to test automated decisions, by comparing selection rates between groups.
Disparate impact: an example
A screening test selects 60% of one group but only 30% of another; the second group's rate is half of the first, raising a disparate impact concern.
Related terms
- Four-fifths rule
- Disparate treatment
- Demographic parity
- Protected attribute
More AI ethics law product terms
Where you learn it
Disparate impact is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.