Following the speech on AI by prime minister , Unite, the UK's leading
union, that warned that workers must not become the victims of
the AI revolution.
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 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.
