And what role can AI play?
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of discussing this topic with Alice Andronio during the June Women in AI Italy Virtual Lunch.
The new European Pay Transparency Directive introduces important changes, including the prohibition on asking job candidates about their previous salary. This is more than a procedural change. It is a concrete step towards breaking the cycle through which pay inequalities are carried from one job to the next.
But there is another issue we cannot overlook.
Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in recruitment, performance evaluation, and people management. It can help identify disparities, improve transparency, and support fairer decision making. But if designed or deployed without proper oversight, it can also reinforce the very biases already present in data and organisations.
That is why pay transparency and AI should not be treated as separate conversations. They are part of the same challenge: building workplaces where fairness, accountability, and human judgement remain at the centre.
At Women in AI Italy, we created a space for this important conversation, and I would like to thank Alice Andronio for such an insightful exchange.
Watch the recording. We will continue this conversation after the summer break.
