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Topic portal
Artificial intelligence
In the world of work, there are two distinct types of application of AI technology in the workplace. The first is directed at automating tasks that workers perform; the second is to use AI-based analytics and algorithms to automate managerial functions – or what is commonly referred to as “algorithmic management”.
When AI is used to automate tasks, it doesn’t necessarily lead to redundancies, as the technology can also complement human labour when certain tasks are automated. Whether technological adoption leads to automation (job loss) or augmentation (job complementarity) depends on the centrality of the automated task to the occupation, how the technology is integrated into work processes and management’s desire to retain humans to perform or oversee some of the tasks, despite automation’s potential.
In addition to the potential effects on workers, AI’s integration into the workplace can also have consequences for organizational performance, including productivity, with spillover effects on economic performance. For this reason, unequal access to the technology stemming from infrastructure bottlenecks, skill deficiencies or simply the cost of the technology can widen existing productivity divides between countries as well as between large and small or micro enterprises.
Key resources
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Meeting
Can we have pro-worker AI?
![GEN AI and Jobs Cover_ WP96](/https/www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/styles/cards_3_desktop/public/2024-07/WP%2096%20Cover_0.jpg.webp?itok=51yxVVzC)
ILO Working paper 96
Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality
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Policy brief
Generative AI and Jobs: Policies to Manage the Transition
News and articles
![ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev](/https/www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/styles/cards_1_desktop/public/2024-09/ILO%20DG%20with%20President%20of%20Kazakhstan%201280x870.jpeg.webp?itok=c5q3wa7A)
ILO Director-General emphasizes the positive potential of AI and the importance of proper management for an inclusive digital transition
![Young African adults working on computers](/https/www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/styles/cards_1_desktop/public/2024-08/Gig-economy-Uganda-2048x900.jpg.webp?itok=9VJheMtd)
Mind the Gap: Bridging the AI divide will ensure an equitable future for all
Publications
ILO Working Paper 121 - Joint publication ILO-World Bank
Buffer or Bottleneck? Employment Exposure to Generative AI and the Digital Divide in Latin America
United Nations and International Labour Organization report
Mind the AI Divide: Shaping a Global Perspective on the Future of Work
Report
Digital labour platforms in Kenya: Exploring women’s opportunities and challenges across various sectors
Ongoing and upcoming events
Research Seminar
The hidden human labour powering AI: Introducing the Fairwork Action Research Project