Microsoft is joining forces with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to foster an approach to artificial intelligence (AI) development that prioritizes worker input and rights. This collaboration aims to integrate the perspectives of workers into AI technology’s evolution and application.
The AFL-CIO highlights the partnership’s objectives, which include sharing AI trend insights with labor leaders and workers, embedding worker input into AI development, and influencing public policy to meet the technological needs of frontline workers.
Microsoft president Brad Smith emphasized the joint effort with labor leaders to ensure AI serves the interests of the workforce. AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler recognized Microsoft’s commitment to acknowledging workers’ expertise, viewing it as indicative of a promising era for labor-management cooperation in the AI field.
Previously in 2022, Microsoft formed a similar agreement with the Communications Workers of America focusing on protecting the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively, particularly in relation to Microsoft’s acquisition of video game producer Activision Blizzard.
Microsoft’s significant investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, includes a $13 billion contribution and a 49% ownership stake, though it maintains no voting rights or operational control. The company’s Azure platform, built on OpenAI’s GPT products, showcases Microsoft’s advancements in generative AI.
The rapid evolution of AI has raised concerns among workers in various sectors about its potential impact on employment. Hollywood actors, for instance, protested a proposal by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers advocating for the use of AI in scanning background performers.
The broader implications of generative AI have sparked debates on its impact on the labor market. IBM predicted AI could replace 7,800 jobs within five years, while Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and xAI, speculated AI might render the traditional workforce obsolete.