New AI alliance will educate staff, incorporate labor’s voice in tech improvement and assist form coverage that helps staff
WASHINGTON — Dec. 11, 2023 — The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and Microsoft Corp. on Monday introduced the formation of a brand new partnership to create an open dialogue to debate how synthetic intelligence (AI) should anticipate the wants of staff and embrace their voices in its improvement and implementation. This partnership is the primary of its sort between a labor group and a know-how firm to give attention to AI and can ship on three objectives: (1) sharing in-depth info with labor leaders and staff on AI know-how tendencies; (2) incorporating employee views and experience within the improvement of AI know-how; and (3) serving to form public coverage that helps the know-how expertise and wishes of frontline staff.
Constructing upon the historic neutrality settlement the Communications Employees of America Union (CWA) negotiated with Microsoft overlaying online game staff at Activision and Zenimax, in addition to the labor ideas introduced by Microsoft in June 2022, the partnership additionally contains an settlement with Microsoft that gives a neutrality framework for future employee organizing by AFL-CIO affiliate unions. This framework confirms a joint dedication to respect the correct of staff to type or be a part of unions, to develop optimistic and cooperative labor-management relationships, and to barter collective bargaining agreements that may help staff in an period of speedy technological change.
“This partnership displays a recognition of the important function staff play within the improvement, deployment and regulation of AI and associated applied sciences,” mentioned AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The labor motion appears ahead to partnering with Microsoft to increase staff’ function within the creation of worker-centered design, workforce coaching and reliable AI practices. Microsoft’s neutrality framework and embrace of staff’ experience alerts that this new period of AI also can catalyze a brand new period of productive labor-management partnerships.”
“By working straight with labor leaders, we can assist be certain that AI serves the nation’s staff,” mentioned Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft. “This groundbreaking partnership honors the rights of staff, learns from the recommendation of labor leaders as we develop know-how, and helps us present folks with the talents that may grow to be important in a brand new AI period.”
The partnership will ship on the next objectives:
- AI schooling for staff and college students: Microsoft will present formal studying alternatives on the most recent and potential developments in AI, offering labor leaders and staff with important info and insights on this new know-how because it evolves sooner or later. These will start with studying classes that may happen in the course of the winter of 2024 facilitated by Microsoft’s AI specialists who will present entry to details about how AI works and the place it’s going, define its alternatives and analyze the potential challenges. These classes will likely be augmented by on-demand digital assets that labor leaders and staff can entry on-line. Working with the American Federation of Academics, Microsoft will discover joint alternatives for profession and technical schooling work that prepares college students for high-paying jobs of tomorrow. As well as, they are going to maintain deep-dive and experiential workshops beginning 2024 by means of 2026 that will likely be tailor-made to particular careers and roles.
- Direct suggestions from labor leaders and staff: To make sure that the experience and views of staff inform the work of Microsoft’s AI builders, the companions have developed a mechanism for labor leaders and staff to share experiential insights, issues and suggestions on to the individuals who develop this know-how. This collaboration will start with a give attention to unions and staff in chosen key sectors. This collaboration will begin this winter and take the type of Microsoft hosted labor summits. The companions will deliver labor leaders and staff along with Microsoft’s key AI product builders, researchers and enterprise leaders for intensive discussions supposed to co-design and develop “worker-centered know-how.”
- Joint coverage and expertise improvement: As Congress debates future AI and workforce laws within the Committees of the Home and Senate and the bipartisan AI Perception Boards, the AFL-CIO and Microsoft will be a part of forces to suggest and help insurance policies that may equip staff with the important expertise, information and financial help wanted to thrive in an AI-powered financial system. The 2 organizations will help the enlargement of registered apprenticeships, significantly in nontraditional tech occupations, and advocate for funding for Profession and Technical Training. On the AI curriculum entrance, LinkedIn Generative AI content material will likely be tailor-made to particular sectors most impacted by AI, and Microsoft and the AFL-CIO’s Know-how Institute will collectively develop and implement new content material {and professional} studying alternatives to organize staff for the long run office.
Each companions acknowledge AI creates an actual capability to boost staff’ jobs if used to enhance work slightly than diminish staff’ company and tasks. In line with new polling by the AFL-CIO, 70% of staff fear about being changed by AI. On the similar time, a latest Microsoft research of staff discovered that 70% would delegate as a lot work as potential to AI to minimize their workloads. To enhance work whereas creating richer potentialities for our lives on the entire, the transition to an AI-assisted future should heart staff’ voices. That’s why Microsoft and the AFL-CIO have created this labor-tech partnership — to make sure staff have a voice within the course of and that their wants are understood.
About AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) works tirelessly to enhance the lives of working folks.
We’re the democratic, voluntary federation of 60 nationwide and worldwide labor unions that characterize 12.5 million working folks.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) permits digital transformation for the period of an clever cloud and an clever edge. Its mission is to empower each particular person and each group on the planet to attain extra.
For extra info, press solely:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rapidresponse@we-worldwide.com
Isabel Aldunate, AFL-CIO, (202) 262-3628, ialdunate@aflcio.org
Notice to editors: For extra info, information and views from Microsoft, please go to the Microsoft Information Heart at http://information.microsoft.com. Internet hyperlinks, phone numbers and titles have been appropriate at time of publication however might have modified. For added help, journalists and analysts might contact Microsoft’s Speedy Response Crew or different applicable contacts listed at https://information.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.
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