“The key question is not whether AI will transform work – it already is,” said Sher Verick, ILO digitalization and AI coordinator. “The central question is how to ensure that this transformation promotes decent work and social justice.”
At the first meeting of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, held on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the “enormous responsibility” of the new body to “help shape the trajectory of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.”
“Individually, you come from diverse regions and disciplines, and bring exceptional expertise in AI and related fields,” the UN chief said. “Together, you represent something the world has never seen before.”
Making AI ‘trustworthy’
Artificial intelligence is currently being used in systems “with real consequences for people’s prosperity,” said Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau.
That includes hiring decisions and access to services. He emphasized the importance of standards and skills development, noting that technical standards help make AI “trustworthy,” but that the deciding factor remains how societies and governments choose to apply these technologies.
Meet the ‘invisible’ workforce
An “invisible” workforce that keeps AI running supports the responses of chatbots, social media algorithms, and other automated systems that many people now take for granted.
During the webinar, Ben Richards of UNI Global Union explained that “when we talk about workers in the data supply chain, we are referring to two main groups:”
- Content moderators who keep platforms safer by reviewing harmful content
- Data taggers and annotators that structure reality so machines can learn.
He added that wherever his organization speaks to these workers, they describe similar conditions: “extreme pressure, constant surveillance, low wages and damage to mental health.”
Trauma behind screens
Major technology companies often rely on workers from countries in the Global South for content moderation and data annotation.
In India alone, tens of thousands of people are engaged in this type of work. For many rural residents, particularly women, job ads offering work from home with just an internet connection appear to be a rare opportunity to gain income and independence.
However, when they are hired, they often do not know what material they are expected to review. Many are required to sign confidentiality agreements (NDAs) that prohibit them from discussing their work even with family members.
Sexual violence and traffic accidents
A woman in an Indian village described watching hundreds of videos a day, including scenes of sexual violence, traffic accidents and people dying, according to a recent media report.
Another young woman said she was required to review content that involved sexual violence against children and classify pornographic material.
Human rights advocates have expressed concern about these working conditions.
AI technologies are changing the landscape for workers around the world.
Global alliance promotes safe work protocols
Mr. Richards, of UNI Global Union, noted that his organization is building a global alliance of content moderators and promoting safe work protocols based on the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining.
“We want AI to augment human capabilities,” he said.
In fact, he stressed that the benefits of technological progress must be distributed fairly.
Chasing impossible goals
Workers in all countries are also feeling increased stress due to algorithmic management, in which software systems determine the pace of work, task assignment, and performance evaluation. This type of management can intensify pressure on workers and even create safety risks.
Two-thirds of UK drivers and couriers work under anxious conditions due to “unfair feedback” and sudden changes to working hours determined by algorithms.
Evelyn Astor, director of economic and social policy at the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), warned that without adequate regulation, artificial intelligence could deepen existing risks.
According to union monitoring, there have already been fatal accidents involving couriers “pursuing impossible delivery targets set by algorithms.”
Around two-thirds of UK drivers and couriers work under anxious conditions due to “unfair feedback” and sudden changes to working hours determined by algorithms, according to a 2025 study published by the University of Cambridge. More than half of those surveyed said they risk their health and safety at work.
Although the platforms do not explicitly instruct workers to violate safety rules, the incentive system, which includes penalties, speed-based bonuses, and prioritization, creates conditions in which workers feel forced to make dangerous decisions to preserve their income.
Shaping the trajectory of AI for the benefit of humanity
Similar concerns are emerging in other countries and sectors: automated systems can assign shifts, set pay levels or even make layoff decisions, often with minimal human oversight and limited avenues for appeal.
Union representatives at the webinar warned that implementing AI without adequate safeguards risks reinforcing existing problems, adding that algorithmic management is already contributing to work intensification, increased digital surveillance, biased decision-making and reduced human oversight in employment decisions.
The ILO and ITU are driving initiatives aimed at shaping international approaches to regulating the impact of AI on labor markets, including the AI for Good platform and the Global Coalition for Social Justice.
For the United Nations system, the central challenge is to ensure that artificial intelligence expands human potential rather than undermining the safety and well-being of workers, which requires shifting focus from mere technological innovation to governance based on human rights, equality and sustainable development.