DOL Unveils AI Principles Designed to Protect Workers’ Rights

Amid the worries about AI at work, the Labor Department issued new guidelines to empower workers in the age of AI. Unions and tech companies are on board.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is a hot topic, particularly with workers worried that AI could displace their jobs or that employers could use AI for nefarious reasons.   

Now the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a roadmap of AI best practices for the workplace. The goal is to empower workers, ensuring that they get the most out of AI. Businesses are asked to use the software to enhance job quality, advance equity, and develop opportunity.

“These Best Practices provide a roadmap for responsible AI in the workplace, helping businesses harness these technologies while proactively supporting and valuing their workers. As we embrace the opportunities that AI can offer, we must ensure workers are lifted up, not left behind,” said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.  

The voluntary guide provides eight principles for business:

·          Centering worker empowerment- workers should have input in the design, testing, and use of AI systems in the workplace.

·          Ethically developing AI- AI systems should be designed in a way that protects workers.

·          Establishing AI governance and human oversight.

·          Ensuring transparency in AI use- Be transparent with workers about the use of AI and identifying how AI can assist workers.

·          Protecting labor and employment rights- AI systems should not undermine workers’ rights to organize or rights to health and safety.

·          Using AI to enable workers- AI systems should be used to improve job quality.

·          Supporting workers impacted by AI- Employers should upskill employees going through job transitions.

·          Ensuring responsible use of worker data- Data collected by AI should be limited in scope and location.

·          Protect workers’ labor and employment rights.

The document also encourages employers to bargain with unions in good faith on the use of AI and electronic monitoring.

 Union leaders voiced their support.

“It's pretty clear when we look around us, we are in the wild west right now,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “These technologies can be really disruptive and have zero guardrails, but there's also a massive opportunity, if we get this right, to use these technologies in a way that benefits everyone.”

The document was also applauded by the Partnership on AI, a consortium of tech companies including Google and Microsoft.

“We applaud the Department of Labor’s best practices on AI and worker well-being,” said Partnership on AI CEO Rebecca Finlay.

“These decision-making guides build on our Shared Prosperity Guidelines, co-created with our multistakeholder community.”