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A UK workers’ rights watchdog is currently examining the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) on workers’ rights, as discussions into the dangers of AI continue to spark worldwide.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has established an AI taskforce to address the concern that AI tools could eventually disrupt the rights of workers.
The taskforce will be led by University of Cambridge tech specialist Gina Neff, TUC activist Mary Towers, and employment lawyer Dee Masters.
“We can’t let existential risks blind us to the challenges we face today,” said Neff.
“Those challenges are real, and they’re faced by all of us.”
The discussion on the responsible use of AI is being largely led by the UK, and Neff plans to write legislation that will protect employees from AI and its effect on the workplace.
“The UK is positioning itself broadly as a global leader in responsible AI. So if we’re going to take on that leadership role internationally, we need to put our money where our mouth is,” she said.
“We need to be dealing with people’s realities, not the science fiction of the future,”
The taskforce plans to propose a draft of the legislation in spring next year. The group will establish an advisory group, which will see Tech UK and leader of the business select committee for Labour, Darren Jones, participate.
Concerns around the effect of AI in the workplace are considerable, with many increasingly worried about the technology’s ability to displace workers and lead to job losses in a world where the cost of living is already astronomically high.
Towers said that on top of this, which is the primary issue for many, there are a number of other major risks.
“Infringement of privacy, work intensification, an increase of insecurity at work, and also potential for discrimination” were a few that she listed, stressing that these are “different issues to the types of risks that are currently getting a lot of coverage in the media, that are being advocated and exposed by the tech bros”.
There has been a massive push in the UK and around the globe for the development of legislation, regulations, and frameworks to hone the dangers of AI. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to hold a global AI safety summit in November to discuss the overall dangers, which could expand to human extinction.
Even leading AI developers have called for regulation, with Open AI chief executive Sam Altman speaking to US Congress and calling for the government to step in and develop frameworks to control AI development.
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