- On Monday, Microsoft made an announcement about collaborating with labor unions to facilitate an “open dialogue” regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce.
- This partnership is a response to mounting pressure faced by Microsoft and other AI providers from labor organizations and regulatory bodies concerning the potential displacement of workers due to AI advancements.
- As part of this collaboration, Microsoft will host labor summits to gather input from labor representatives and workers.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella delivered a speech at the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco on November 6, 2023.
Microsoft revealed a new initiative on Monday in conjunction with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a major labor group representing 60 unions and 12.5 million workers. The primary objective is to foster an open discussion on the future of artificial intelligence and address concerns about potential job displacement caused by AI.
The partnership aims to provide educational sessions on AI for workers, conduct “experiential workshops” focusing on specialized AI career paths from 2024 to 2026, and organize labor summits hosted by Microsoft to incorporate feedback from labor leaders and workers.
The collaboration is guided by three key objectives:
- Sharing detailed insights on AI technology trends with labor leaders and workers.
- Integrating worker perspectives and expertise into the development of AI technologies.
- Influencing public policy to support the technological skills and requirements of frontline workers.
In response to public apprehension and inquiries about the impact of their technologies on employment, AI providers are stepping up their efforts. This heightened responsiveness may be attributed to growing concerns that emerging technologies could potentially replace human jobs. According to a September Gallup poll, one in five college-educated workers expressed concerns about technology rendering their jobs obsolete, marking a seven-percentage-point increase from 2021.
In October, Amazon announced a collaboration with MIT to gain a deeper understanding of how AI and robotics affect employees and organizations, prompted by mounting worries among Amazon employees about performance pressures and meeting targets.
IBM, in May, disclosed plans to implement AI in approximately 8,000 job roles. However, CEO Arvind Krishna emphasized IBM’s commitment to extensively enhancing employees’ AI skills and anticipates AI primarily taking over back-office functions.
These strategic moves by tech giants coincide with the looming specter of heightened regulation. President Biden’s inaugural executive order on AI in October included a segment dedicated to supporting workers in the face of AI advancements. This involved producing a report on the potential labor market repercussions of AI and exploring ways in which the federal government could aid workers impacted by labor market disruptions.
The executive order also outlined a roadmap for formulating principles and best practices to “alleviate the negative impacts and maximize the benefits of AI for workers,” with a specific focus on job displacement, labor standards, and workplace equity.
