Issues in Science and Technology: A Vision for Centering Workers in Technology Development

Including union perspectives in research and development is essential to building effective, equitable technology and public trust. 

Artificial intelligence has been hyped in the media and in workplaces, especially since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022. In the workplace, AI systems can be used for hiring, disciplining, and firing workers, as well as task assignments, scheduling, and evaluations. AI can also accelerate existing trends in automation and robotics. A 2023 US Census Bureau analysis of 2019 data showed that nearly 30% of all workers, and more than 50% of manufacturing workers, are exposed to technologies that automate tasks. This level of exposure has fed widespread anxiety: 70% of workers are worried about job displacement by AI, according to 2023 polling released by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a federation of 60 unions representing more than 12.5 million working people.