A British federation of trade unions has published a bill aimed at protecting workers from the “risks and harms” of decision-making through artificial intelligence in the workplace. That is, what it means to have AI instead of workers.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has presented the bill to encourage the Government to take a stronger stance on AI regulation. So far, the ruling conservative party has advocated for a soft approach to regulating AI, relying on existing legislation and strengthening the role of regulators.
“The bill also includes union rights regarding the use of artificial intelligence systems by employers, addresses the risks associated with the value chain in the implementation of artificial intelligence systems in the workplace, and allows for the development of safe and fair artificial intelligence systems in the workplace,” said the TUC.
In a supporting document, Mary Towers, TUC policy officer, stated: “AI is rapidly transforming our society and the world of work, but in the UK there are no laws related to AI, nor current plans to legislate in the near future.”
“Urgent measures need to be taken to ensure that people are protected from the risks and harms of AI-driven decision-making in the workplace, and that everyone benefits from the opportunities associated with AI at work. Employers and businesses also need the certainty provided by regulation,” he added.
In March of last year, the British Government published a white paper that describes an approach to AI regulation based on harms rather than risks.
Since then, the EU has enacted its AI Law, the world’s first legislation specifically designed to address the risk of artificial intelligence, including biometric categorization and manipulation of human behavior, as well as stricter rules for the introduction of generative AI.
In September, the TUC launched a new working group on AI to call for “urgent” new legislation to safeguard workers’ rights and ensure that AI benefits everyone. The AI Bill proposal is one of the works of that group.
