“The Fight for a Voice in AI: Have Workers Won Their Seat at the Table?

With the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it has become critical for workers to find a seat at the table. AI initiatives are becoming a core focus across all industries, and it is no longer sufficient for business leaders to be comfortable with the latest technology; they also need to understand how AI will impact their businesses and their workers. This year marked a major milestone for workers as they began to demand a seat at the table when it comes to the development and implementation of AI. This included advocating for better data protections, for the inclusion of ethical considerations, and for the consideration of a variety of points of view. The recognition of workers’ vital role in the AI development process was evidenced by several high-profile private companies, most notably Google and Microsoft, and government initiatives supporting greater worker input. For instance, the European Union recently proposed legislation called the “Industrial Data and AI Pact,” which emphasized the importance of involving not only businesses and governments but also workers in the process of developing AI platforms and services. At the same time, despite the efforts of many workers, their success in gaining influence over AI decisions has been limited thus far. Despite having a seat at the table, workers have yet to take a significant role in making decisions, and they are often not informed about how decisions are made. Moreover, the decision-making processes remain largely opaque and inaccessible. As AI continues to become more integrated into all aspects of the global economy, it is essential that workers be empowered and included in the development and implementation of AI solutions. The participation of workers is vital to ensure that decisions about AI are made with the best interests of both businesses and their employees in mind. The importance of worker inclusion will only increase in 2021, and it is critical for companies and governments to recognize the importance of worker input. At the same time, workers must continue to advocate for their interests and to ensure that they are part of the process, and not just at the table. Only then can worker-inclusion become a reality and mutual trust and understanding between businesses and their workers be fostered. With the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it has become critical for workers to find a seat at the table. AI initiatives are becoming a core focus across all industries, and it is no longer sufficient for business leaders to be comfortable with the latest technology; they also need to understand how AI will impact their businesses and their workers. This year marked a major milestone for workers as they began to demand a seat at the table when it comes to the development and implementation of AI. This included advocating for better data protections, for the inclusion of ethical considerations, and for the consideration of a variety of points of view. The recognition of workers’ vital role in the AI development process was evidenced by several high-profile private companies, most notably Google and Microsoft, and government initiatives supporting greater worker input. For instance, the European Union recently proposed legislation called the “Industrial Data and AI Pact,” which emphasized the importance of involving not only businesses and governments but also workers in the process of developing AI platforms and services. At the same time, despite the efforts of many workers, their success in gaining influence over AI decisions has been limited thus far. Despite having a seat at the table, workers have yet to take a significant role in making decisions, and they are often not informed about how decisions are made. Moreover, the decision-making processes remain largely opaque and inaccessible. As AI continues to become more integrated into all aspects of the global economy, it is essential that workers be empowered and included in the development and implementation of AI solutions. The participation of workers is vital to ensure that decisions about AI are made with the best interests of both businesses and their employees in mind. The importance of worker inclusion will only increase in 2021, and it is critical for companies and governments to recognize the importance of worker input. At the same time, workers must continue to advocate for their interests and to ensure that they are part of the process, and not just at the table. Only then can worker-inclusion become a reality and mutual trust and understanding between businesses and their workers be fostered.