Certified to Use AI. Not Prepared to Use It Fairly. Disability, Workplace Technology, and the Accountability Gap

Artificial intelligence is influencing which résumés reach recruiters, how employees are evaluated, and who is identified as “high potential” leadership talent. Yet these systems can misinterpret disability, neurodivergence, mental health conditions, communication differences, caregiving realities, and accommodation needs as poor fit, low productivity, or reduced potential. Drawing on her experience as a certified AI consultant, disability inclusion executive, and current research, Felicia Nurmsen examines the gap between knowing how to use AI and being prepared to use it fairly. Participants will explore where disability bias enters hiring, performance management, accommodations, retention, and advancement—and why technical certification alone is not enough. Using practical workplace scenarios, participants will leave with a framework for identifying what their technology is deciding, who can challenge the output, and whether the organization could defend the final decision to the person affected.