Trade Union warns workers must have a say in avoiding the dangers of AI

Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham said: “The UK needs to embrace new technologies, but we also need proper protections from AI’s pitfalls and workers must have a say in how that happens.

“Our members are already reporting major changes to working conditions due to the introduction of AI, which creates new risks and all too often results in workers feeling alienated and demotivated. We also have serious concerns about matters such as AI-powered surveillance and discrimination by algorithm, particularly with ‘high-risk’ decisions like recruitment, performance assessments and discipline. 

“After years of fighting against discrimination, there is now the genuine threat of it being further embedded through AI, against women, Black and Asian ethnic minority, disabled and LGBTQ+ workers.

“The introduction of AI in the workplace must be something that happens with workers and not to workers. Government, employers, and unions all need to be working together to avoid the potential dangers of workplace AI.”

Unite says it is particularly concerned about how AI programmes are increasingly being used for surveillance purposes on workers. With AI programmes following a one size fit all view of workers, they regularly fail to understand if workers are properly carrying out their roles.

Unite has also raised strong concerns that AI trained on data reflecting societal biases can easily learn to discriminate against women, black, disabled and LGBTQ+ workers.