Microsoft and AFL-CIO come to terms on unions and AI

The largest international trade union federation has announced that it has signed a contract with the giant technology company Microsoft.

“By working directly with labor leaders, we can ensure that AI serves the nation's workers,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement. “This groundbreaking partnership will respect workers' rights, learn from labor leaders as we develop technology, and help us provide people with the skills needed in the new AI era.”

According to the AFL-CIO, the agreement's goals include the exchange of information between labor leaders and workers on AI technology trends, the inclusion of workers' perspectives and expertise in the development of AI technology, and the promotion of public policy that supports technology skills and needs. Front line workers.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement, “This partnership reflects the recognition of the critical role that workers play in the development, deployment and control of AI and related technologies.” “Microsoft's neutrality framework and embrace of employee intelligence shows that this new era of AIA can usher in a new era of labor-management partnerships.”

In the year Founded in 1955, the American Congress of Labor and Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) today comprises 60 national and international unions with more than 12 million members.

The agreement with the AFL-CIO is Microsoft's latest move with unions to address employee concerns.

Last year, Microsoft signed a similar labor neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) to respect workers' rights to organize and bargain at then-defunct Activision Blizzard. Microsoft has pledged to remain neutral in relation to union decisions. At the same time, Microsoft issued principles for organizing workers and dealing with unions.

“Recent union campaigns across the country — including in the tech sector — have led us to the conclusion that these issues will inevitably affect many businesses, including our own,” Smith said at the time. “This has encouraged us to proactively consider the best approach for our employees, shareholders, customers and other stakeholders.”

While the threat of an AI-induced global thermonuclear war remains the province of Hollywood blockbusters, the rise of generative AI has raised the specter of AI's shrinking workforce — now a critical conversation in a variety of industries, including entertainment, fast food, and freelancers.

In August, IBM said about 1.4 billion people will need new job training due to the impact of artificial intelligence on the workplace, with the biggest impact on entry-level workers. SpaceX and xAI CEO Elon Musk has predicted that AI will end the need for the modern workforce.

“None of us know exactly what challenges the future will bring,” Smith said. But we're willing to bet that a company that listens and works well with its employees can have a winning hand.

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.