Unions reach deal with tech giant on AI and workers
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson |
A US tech giant will collaborate with Australian unions on rules for using, designing and deploying artificial intelligence technology.
Microsoft Australia signed a framework agreement with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) on Thursday in what the organisations say is the first partnership of its kind.
The agreement, which is not legally binding, will build on earlier memoranda the software company signed with unions including Professionals Australia and the Australian Services Union.
The deal comes one month after the federal government launched its National AI Plan and revealed it would not introduce dedicated laws to govern the use of the technology in high-risk areas such as recruitment, financial services and health care.
The agreement between Microsoft and the ACTU will cover three areas: sharing information about technology trends and applications, collaborating on public policy and training, and incorporating workers’ feedback into the design and deployment of AI systems.
Having input into how AI tools are used would be crucial for employees, ACTU assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell said, and would recognise their rights in the workplace.
“Workers, through their unions, have consistently raised concerns that AI is being developed and deployed without their voices being heard,” he said.
“For workers to benefit from AI, we must be central to the process and this (agreement) is another positive step towards realising that.”
The agreement also addresses workers in creative fields and the media, saying the organisations will respect “the vital role they play in Australian society, culture and democracy”.
Several tech companies including OpenAI, Midjourney and Meta have faced copyright infringement lawsuits for the ways they have used books, news articles and movies to train their AI models.
While the deal signed by Microsoft and the ACTU is not a legal agreement, both have committed to consulting on disputes in good faith.
The partnership would also ensure Australian industry was not left behind as the technology develops, Microsoft Australia area vice-president Steven Miller said.
“This agreement signals our commitment to ensure workers’ voices are at the heart of Australia’s AI transformation and no one is left out of the national opportunity this technology represents,” he said.
“Australians deserve AI that helps people thrive.”
The move represents closer collaboration between workers and the software industry, Tech Council of Australia chief executive Damian Kassabgi said, and Technology Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton called the partnership a positive step.
“Our adoption of AI should embrace the timeless principle of the fair go – the idea that no one should be held back or left behind,” he said.
Australia’s AI Opportunities report, funded by OpenAI and released in October, found the technology could deliver $142 billion to the economy annually by 2030 through increased productivity and exports.
AAP
