Synopsis A new report by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) warns that AI is reshaping workplaces in troubling ways. Titled Negotiating the Algorithm, the study reveals that nearly 80% of EU job sites and 90% in the US use algorithmic tools to manage employees. Risks include surveillance, unstable wages, biased evaluations, and even automated firings. Once limited to gig work, this model is spreading to healthcare, law, and therapy, raising urgent concerns about worker rights. The rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace isn’t just about automating tasks or boosting productivity. A new report warns it is quietly reshaping power dynamics at work, often to the detriment of employees. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), representing nearly 45 million workers across 40 countries, has released a 70-page report titled Negotiating the Algorithm. The study uncovers how algorithmic management — the use of AI systems to allocate work, monitor performance, and enforce discipline — has already infiltrated jobs across Europe and beyond. According to ETUC, an overwhelming 79 percent of EU job sites and nearly 90 percent in the US already rely on at least one algorithmic tool to manage employees. What sounds futuristic is already the norm. The Seven Red Flags The report highlights seven major risks tied to algorithm-driven workplaces: Discriminatory work assignments Fluctuating and unstable wages Erosion of worker autonomy Constant surveillance Unfair performance evaluations Automated punishments Non-payment of wages “Workers have to contend with intensive forms of surveillance which reduce autonomy and undermine privacy,” the report warns. Even worse, some employees face punishments or even job loss dictated by an algorithm, with no chance to appeal to a human boss. MORE STORIES FOR YOU✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to meThey disrupt the reading flowOthers SUBMIT Not Just Gig Workers Anymore Initially, algorithmic management was most visible in gig jobs such as ride-hailing and warehouse labor. But ETUC cautions that the model is rapidly spreading to professional sectors including healthcare, legal services, and even therapy. The implication is chilling: no matter your job title, AI could soon be monitoring and rating your performance. The report doesn’t just sound alarms. It also offers ways for workers to push back. Some victories have already been achieved, such as Denmark’s Hilfr platform agreeing to disclose how algorithmic decisions are made, alongside guarantees like minimum wages and sick leave. Why This Matters for Every Worker The ETUC concludes that combating algorithmic overreach is less about reinventing the wheel and more about “adding new spokes.” As AI systems increasingly decide who gets work, how much they’re paid, and whether they keep their job, the question becomes urgent: are we working for our bosses, or for their algorithms? (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online. ...moreless (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online. ...moreless Another Satyam-Maytas type merger in the making? Courtesy a little-known Pune firm. DreamFolks crisis deepens as more banks shun airport lounge middleman Trump’s H1-B shock was short-lived but it’s just a sample Aggarwal aspired to rival Amazon, Google, OpenAI; now he must ensure Krutrim’s survival DMart bets against Q-comm tide. Bandhan MF bites it; should you? F&O Radar| Deploy Bull Call Spread in Nifty for gains from a bullish index amid volatile moves 1 2 3

Source: The Economic Times