When an algorithm decides who you should live with, shouldn't you understand why? As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into housing, admissions, and employment decisions, transparency has moved from academic debate to legal requirement.
The European Union's AI Act, fully in force since 2024, is the world's first comprehensive AI regulation. For students in the Netherlands using AI-powered platforms to find roommates, this legislation directly protects your right to understand, question, and control algorithmic decisions that affect your housing situation.
What Is Explainable AI?
Explainable AI (XAI) refers to systems that can provide clear, understandable reasons for their recommendations. Rather than operating as black boxes, explainable systems reveal the factors, weights, and logic behind their outputs.
In roommate matching, this means you can see which compatibility factors contributed most to a match, how lifestyle, academic, and personality preferences were weighted, why some matches scored higher than others, where complementary traits helped create a pairing, and potential friction points you should discuss with a match. At Domu Match, we built our matching process around these principles from the ground up.
The EU AI Act: Raising the Bar for Transparency
The EU AI Act establishes a risk-based framework for AI. Even if roommate matching is not classified as high risk, the Act's principles apply: users must be informed when AI is used, systems must be explainable, and humans must retain oversight.
Key requirements for matching platforms include transparency - users must know they are interacting with AI and understand its scope. Human oversight means critical decisions require human review and the ability to override recommendations. Systems must monitor for errors and provide mechanisms to correct them. And users have the right to request explanations and contest recommendations.
The Netherlands backs these requirements with its own human-centric AI strategy. Dutch regulators emphasize accountability, fairness, and explainability in all AI deployments.
GDPR Safeguards Your Algorithmic Rights
GDPR's Article 22 grants you the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing if those decisions significantly affect you. When automation is used, you have rights to explanation, human intervention, and contestation.
Platforms must provide a meaningful explanation describing the logic behind decisions. You can request that a person re-evaluates an automated outcome. You may challenge an AI-generated recommendation. And you can request the data used to generate a recommendation. Our privacy policy outlines how we uphold these rights.
Why Transparency Builds Trust
Studies consistently show that users who receive explanations for AI recommendations report higher trust, better satisfaction, and are more likely to follow through on recommendations. Explanations foster confidence in the process. Users feel in control and empowered to decide. Feedback improves when users understand the rationale. And expectations are aligned before moving into a shared space.
The Problem with Black Box Algorithms
Opaque systems cause several major issues. Without visibility, you cannot verify if the system works correctly or fairly - limited accountability. Users cannot pinpoint what went wrong, making it harder to improve recommendations - poor feedback loops. Blind trust creates anxiety and discourages users from making confident decisions - reduced agency. And hidden logic can perpetuate unfair patterns without detection - bias risks.
That is why we designed Domu Match to be transparent from the start. You never have to guess why a match was suggested.
Explainable AI in Practice at Domu Match
We have embedded explainability into every step of our matching workflow. Every match shows the underlying lifestyle, academic, and social factors - transparent compatibility scores. You will see how heavily each factor was considered - weighting insights. You can tell us whether a match felt accurate, improving future recommendations - user feedback loop. And you can tweak your priorities and immediately see how matches change - adjustable preferences.
When you use Domu Match, you don't just get a score - you get context, rationale, and control. Our mission is built on the belief that science-driven matching should be understandable and trustworthy.
Real Benefits of Explainable Matching
Understanding why you matched with someone helps you decide whether to move forward - better decision-making. Knowing alignment areas lets you discuss relevant topics quickly with potential roommates - improved conversations. Clarity reduces uncertainty and helps you trust the process - lower stress. And users who understand their matches are more confident, leading to better outcomes - higher satisfaction.
Looking Ahead
As EU and Dutch regulations evolve, explainability standards will only rise. We expect more detailed explanation requirements, standard formats, and advances in how complex models can be interpreted. Staying ahead of these standards is part of our commitment to student safety and trust.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
You have the right to know how AI recommendations are produced, to request human review and clarification, to challenge or opt out of automated matching, and to access and export your matching data. At the same time, you are responsible for providing accurate information, reviewing explanations before proceeding, offering feedback to improve recommendations, and making informed decisions instead of deferring blindly to AI.
Conclusion: Transparency Is the Foundation of Trust
Explainable AI isn't optional - it's becoming the baseline for any system that influences meaningful life decisions. By demanding transparency and choosing platforms that provide it, you protect your rights, gain confidence, and create better living situations.
At Domu Match, explainability isn't a legal checkbox; it's a design philosophy. We believe you should always understand why we recommend a roommate - and that clarity helps you build safer, happier homes. Get started and experience matching that puts you in control.