Geneva:As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms workplaces globally, questions about ensuring its fair and responsible use are becoming increasingly urgent. A new working paper from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) emphasizes how international labour standards provide a critical foundation for addressing these challenges.
According to Wam, the paper titled "AI Ethics and the ILO's International Labour Standards System Exploring Synergies," authored by ILO researchers Jordi Agustí-Panareda and Daniel Samaan, examines the relationship between widely recognized AI ethics principles and the values, principles, and rights that underpin the ILO's international labour standards system.
The study notes that while various AI ethics guidelines have emerged over recent years, many remain broad and voluntary, offering limited guidance on governing AI in specific workplace situations. It finds that the ILO's longstanding framework of international labour standards offers a central reference point for applying AI ethical principles in concrete work-related scenarios.
The research compares five widely recognized AI ethics principles—justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and explicability—with the ethical foundations of the ILO's normative framework. Significant areas of convergence are identified, particularly around fairness, human dignity, well-being, and harm prevention. However, the analysis also reveals differences, noting that while AI ethics frameworks often emphasize individual autonomy, privacy, and transparency, the ILO's framework highlights important collective dimensions and rights, such as freedom of association, collective bargaining, and social dialogue.
The paper also considers how AI is raising questions that may require renewed focus on the application of international labour standards. This includes issues related to the collection and use of workers' personal data, algorithmic management, workplace surveillance, and the transparency of AI-assisted employment decisions. The authors suggest that AI ethics and international labour standards can reinforce each other, with established labour rights shaping AI governance discussions and emerging AI ethical principles informing the application of labour standards.
The findings underscore the potential contribution of the ILO's international labour standards system and its tripartite structure to ongoing debates on AI governance. By uniting governments, employers, and workers, the ILO provides a framework for considering not only the technical and individual dimensions of ethical AI but also its implications for working conditions, collective representation, and social justice. The authors advocate for further research and dialogue on how AI ethics and international labour standards can support a human-centred approach to technological change in the workplace.
