The digitalisation of the retail sector has advanced rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digitalisation can bring potential benefits to workers such as greater flexibility in the timing and location of work. However, the use of AI and automation bring new challenges to the workplace. Task allocation, scheduling and predictive systems often involve extensive gathering of data that leads to the increasing worker surveillance and monitoring.
Building ethical AI in the world of work
The key to unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence is to put it to the service of people. For that, workers must have a say. Let’s move forward through collective bargaining.
Posted by UNI Europa on Thursday, October 14, 2021
This events is the launch event of the publication Artificial Intelligence and Automation in Retail. The report outlines recent technological developments in the retail that are linked to AI and automation and discusses the implications for consumers, retail organisations and – especially – workers and unions.
This report is the result of a UNI Europa Commerce project funded by the FES Competence Centre on the Future of Work. The aim of the project was to help our affiliates in the Commerce sector to get a timely insight into how technological trends are reshaping retail and the role of Covid-19 as the driver and define the role of trade unions in relation to all changes.
The report will be presented by the two researchers Wil Hunt and Steve Rolf from the University of Sussex. The outcomes will be discussed by a panel of key participants. In a first part, we will discuss together with Ernst Ekkehard, Chief Macroeconomist at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Jiri Branka from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) , the impacts of AI and automation in retail, while focussing on employment restructuring and job change. In a second part we will discuss policy initiatives and the role for trade union, together with Pilar Rato, Vice-President of UNI Europa.
It will include interventions by:
Dr. Steve Rolf a Research Fellow at the Digit research centre ( University of Sussex Business School ) responsible for examining the digital transformation of the global retail sector.
Dr. William Hunt a Research Fellow at the Digit research centre ( University of Sussex Business School ) investigating how new digital technologies and AI are changing the world of work
Ekkehard Ernst the Chief Macroeconomist at the International Labour Organization, where he is responsible for understanding the Future of Work and analysing alternative paths for jobs and earnings to improve upon current trends.
Jiri Branka works in the fields of skill needs analysis, forecasting and labour market intelligence (LMI). He is an expert at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Education and Training (Cedefop).