The AFL-CIO and Microsoft have announced a pioneering partnership aimed at fostering an open dialogue on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workforce. Marking the first collaboration of its kind between a labour organisation and a technology company, the alliance is geared toward three primary goals:
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Sharing Information on AI Trends: The partnership aims to provide labour leaders and workers with comprehensive information on AI technology trends. Microsoft will play a crucial role in facilitating formal learning opportunities, starting with sessions in the winter of 2024. These sessions, led by Microsoft’s AI experts, will delve into the evolving landscape of AI, its potential, and the challenges it poses. Additionally, on-demand digital resources will be made available to labour leaders and workers for continuous learning.
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Incorporating Worker Perspectives in AI Development:The collaboration seeks to incorporate the perspectives and expertise of workers in the development of AI technology. A mechanism has been established to enable labour leaders and workers to share insights, concerns, and feedback directly with Microsoft’s AI developers. Microsoft-hosted labour summits, starting this winter, will bring together labour leaders and workers with key AI product developers, researchers, and business leaders for collaborative discussions aimed at co-designing “worker-centred technology.”
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Shaping Policy for Worker Support:The AFL-CIO and Microsoft will work together to shape public policy that supports the technology skills and needs of frontline workers. This includes proposing and supporting legislation that equips workers with essential skills and knowledge required in an AI-powered economy. The organisations will advocate for the expansion of registered apprenticeships, particularly in nontraditional tech occupations, and seek funding for Career and Technical Education. Additionally, joint efforts will be made to develop AI curriculum tailored to sectors most impacted by AI.
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In addition to these goals, the partnership includes a neutrality framework for future worker organising by AFL-CIO affiliated unions, solidifying a shared commitment to respecting employees’ right to form or join unions, fostering positive labour-management relationships, and negotiating collective bargaining agreements.
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AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler emphasises the significance of this collaboration, highlighting that it reflects a recognition of workers’ critical role in the AI landscape. Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith, echoes this sentiment, noting that the partnership aims to ensure AI serves the country’s workers by learning from the advice of labour leaders and providing people with the essential skills for the AI era.
The partnership will not only focus on education and feedback but also engage in joint policy and skills development. AFL-CIO and Microsoft plan to propose policies that equip workers with the necessary skills and support to thrive in the AI-powered economy, supporting registered apprenticeships and advocating for Career and Technical Education funding.
As workers express concerns about the potential impact of AI on job security, this collaboration seeks to address these worries by centering workers’ voices in the development and deployment of AI technology. By ensuring a worker-centred approach, Microsoft and AFL-CIO aim to navigate the transition to an AI-assisted future that enhances, rather than diminishes, workers’ agency and responsibilities.
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