AI continues to dominate conversations around technology this year. We saw the rise of AI-enabled products and services, and of course, there were a slew of investments and acquisitions made in this space.
This year also saw something else – the emergence of workers as an important voice in the conversation about AI. For too long, workers have been kept out of the dialogue surrounding AI and its potential benefits and risks. Thankfully, the tide is beginning to change with organized labor groups, unions, and informed communities advocating for workers’ rights to meaningful engagement with AI development and implementation.
In the United States, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) recently released the “SEIU AI Toolkit for Workers,” which provides resources for workers to understand and ensure their rights are respected when AI is implemented in their workplace. The toolkit serves as a helpful starting point for those wanting to know more about AI, what it means for their job, and how to engage in AI-related discussions and policy making.
On the global level, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) launched the International Labour Standards on Artificial Intelligence (AI-LS). The AI-LS consists of eight detailed standards to ensure workers’ rights in the development and use of AI. This set of standards puts responsibility for workers’ well-being firmly on employers, and expects governments to monitor and enforce the standards that are set out.
These efforts are crucial as AI continues to be used in more sectors, especially with the trend towards automation and the expected job losses. Workers must have the right information and access to meaningful engagement in order to ensure that AI advances bring real benefits to them and are not to the detriment of them or their jobs.
It is encouraging that workers have managed to secure a seat at the table this year. However, the work does not stop there. In 2021, the dialogues and policy making around AI must move beyond AI’s potential profits and focus on how the technology can best provide protections and progress for workers and their communities. This will require wider and more concerted efforts from governments, employers, and the labor movement. We need to make sure that workers’ voices and perspectives are heard and respected when it comes to the intersection of AI, work, and society. Only then will we be able to ensure a safe and equitable future for everyone.
AI continues to dominate conversations around technology this year. We saw the rise of AI-enabled products and services, and of course, there were a slew of investments and acquisitions made in this space.
This year also saw something else – the emergence of workers as an important voice in the conversation about AI. For too long, workers have been kept out of the dialogue surrounding AI and its potential benefits and risks. Thankfully, the tide is beginning to change with organized labor groups, unions, and informed communities advocating for workers’ rights to meaningful engagement with AI development and implementation.
In the United States, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) recently released the “SEIU AI Toolkit for Workers,” which provides resources for workers to understand and ensure their rights are respected when AI is implemented in their workplace. The toolkit serves as a helpful starting point for those wanting to know more about AI, what it means for their job, and how to engage in AI-related discussions and policy making.
On the global level, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) launched the International Labour Standards on Artificial Intelligence (AI-LS). The AI-LS consists of eight detailed standards to ensure workers’ rights in the development and use of AI. This set of standards puts responsibility for workers’ well-being firmly on employers, and expects governments to monitor and enforce the standards that are set out.
These efforts are crucial as AI continues to be used in more sectors, especially with the trend towards automation and the expected job losses. Workers must have the right information and access to meaningful engagement in order to ensure that AI advances bring real benefits to them and are not to the detriment of them or their jobs.
It is encouraging that workers have managed to secure a seat at the table this year. However, the work does not stop there. In 2021, the dialogues and policy making around AI must move beyond AI’s potential profits and focus on how the technology can best provide protections and progress for workers and their communities. This will require wider and more concerted efforts from governments, employers, and the labor movement. We need to make sure that workers’ voices and perspectives are heard and respected when it comes to the intersection of AI, work, and society. Only then will we be able to ensure a safe and equitable future for everyone.
