MA Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced that her office has reached a $2.5 million settlement with Earnest Operations LLC (Earnest), a Delaware-based student loan company, resolving allegations that the company’s lending practices violated various consumer protection and fair lending laws, including through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) models that could lead to disparate harm to Black, Hispanic, and non-citizen applicants and borrowers. “Earnest’s failure to comply with consumer protection and fair lending laws, including through its AI models, unfairly put historically marginalized student borrowers at risk of being denied loans or receiving unfavorable loan terms – impeding their chances of economic growth and opportunity. I am proud to announce this settlement, which will put lenders on notice that Massachusetts will not tolerate unlawful practices that harm our consumers.” – AG Campbell