Automated lending seems less biased than in-person
12 October 2021
Article from the Times reports that PPP lending to businesses was more equitable at big banks and online lenders than at small banks, and suggests automation is the probable reason.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/11/business/ppp-loans-covid-racial-bias.html
The article wasn't specific about the automation and how "sophisticated" it is, whether it uses machine learning techniques or anything like that.