Shaping a new social contract for AI

The book Artificial intelligence, labour and society explores the profound implications of AI for both the labour market and society at large, taking a multidisciplinary perspective and incorporating a diversity of geographical and cultural points of view. It arrives at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the introduction of the AI Act and the resulting governance measures and legal obligations which will need to be integrated and implemented.

The book taps into vast themes and broad, sometimes existential questions, not least in relation to the lifecycle of AI. To understand the present and future of AI, it is essential to define and situate it properly, to reflect on how it interacts with the planet, and to consider the resources – both human and natural – that are needed to produce and deploy it. The interdisciplinary nature of this book aims to enrich our understanding of AI by highlighting the multiple implications it has in diverse contexts.

Unsurprisingly, the world of work is a central theme, addressed by many of the contributing authors. The governance choices made today will affect the futures of millions of citizens and workers around the world, which will in turn determine our ability to control AI.

AI is a powerful technology that raises major questions about what it means for people to live and to thrive. It forces all stakeholders – including international organisations, national governments, civil society, trade unions, academics, activists, and businesses – to review their current strategies and courses of action. It is a long and uncertain journey, but the ambition of this book is to inform and inspire the travellers along the way.

Programme

12:00 Welcome lunch and networking

12:30 Key note speech: Esther Lynch, General Secretary ETUC

Round table discussion

Inga Ulnicane, research fellow at the University of Birmingham, UK
Lukas Hondrich, M.Sc. AI Engineer - Quality & Safety; Cornelsen Verlag
Laura Nurski, Head of Programme on Future of Work CEPS
Isabelle Schömann, Acting General Director of ETUI
Aída Ponce Del Castillo, Senior researcher ETUI
Q&A

14:00 End of the event