Microsoft and AFL-CIO agree terms on unionization and AI

On Monday, the largest international trade union confederation announced a deal with tech giant Microsoft, opening the door for employees to form unions and starting a conversation about how artificial intelligence will be used and implemented at the company.

“By working directly with labor leaders, we can help AI serve our nation’s workers,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement. “This groundbreaking partnership respects workers’ rights, learns from the input of labor leaders as we develop our skills, and helps provide people with the skills essential for the new era of AI.”

According to the AFL-CIO, the agreement’s goals include sharing information between labor leaders and workers on AI technology trends, incorporating worker perspectives and expertise into AI technology development, and helping create public policies that support technology capabilities and needs. . Frontline staff.

“This partnership reflects recognition of the important role workers play in the development, deployment and regulation of AI and related technologies,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement. “Microsoft’s neutrality framework and embrace of workers’ expertise are signs that this new era of AI can foster a new era of productive labor-management partnerships.”

Formed in 1955, the American Federation of Trade Unions (AFL-CIO) currently consists of 60 national and international labor unions and has more than 12 million members.

The deal with the AFL-CIO is the latest move Microsoft has made with the union to address workers’ concerns.

Last year, Microsoft signed a similar labor neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) aimed at respecting workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain at the then-not-yet-acquired Activision Blizzard. Microsoft has pledged to remain neutral on union decisions. At the same time, Microsoft announced its principles for employee organizing and union meetings.

“Recent unionization campaigns across the country, including in the technology sector, have led us to conclude that these issues will potentially impact many more companies, including ours,” Smith said at the time. “This has forced us to actively think about the best approach for our employees, shareholders, customers and other stakeholders.”

While the threat of AI-induced global thermonuclear war remains the preserve of Hollywood blockbusters, the rise of generative AI has raised the specter of AI decimating the workforce. This is now an important discussion across many industries, including entertainment, fast food, and freelancing. .

In August, IBM said that about 1.4 billion people would need new job training due to the impact of artificial intelligence on the workplace, with the greatest impact being felt by entry-level workers. SpaceX and xAI CEO Elon Musk predicted that AI will end the need for a modern workforce.

“No one knows exactly what challenges the future will bring,” Smith said. “But we are confident that companies that listen to their employees and work well with them are likely to win.”

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.

Source: Decrypt.co