What happened:The Biden administration is asking American workers to share how their employers are deploying AI in their workplaces. As automation becomes more prevalant, the White House is concerned that automated tools used to track and monitor workers can pose serious risks to their safety and mental health, as well as fuel discrimination in areas like pay and discipline.
What the numbers say:Most Americans are apprehensive about using AI to monitor workers. A Pew Research survey from April found that more than 60% of U.S. adults opposed using AI to track employees' movements while they work; majorities also opposed AI to keep track of desk time and record what workers are doing at their computers. In other areas, such as monitoring the driving behaviors of workers on the job, those polled were actually more supportive.
Why it matters: The White House is asking for feedback from stakeholders, including employers, advocacy groups, and researchers, to describe their experiences with AI at work. The comments could help the federal government decide which rules and regulations, if any, to introduce to tackle any harms caused by workplace surveillance tech, which is on the rise .