Workshop

Proposal for an ILO Policy Observatory on Work in the Digital Economy

Regulating for artificial intelligence (AI) across societies will not be easy. Variations in policymaking approaches for its development and governance across the world could lead to significant uncertainty for the world of work. Our proposal for the ‘ILO Policy Observatory on Work in the Digital Economy’ is intended to identify the current state of play; to assess the role of various actors including companies, civil society and states; and to analyse the implications of shifts in AI regulation for decent work in the global digital economy.


The workshop brings together several country experts to discuss the current developments around AI regulation in Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India and the United States to compare and confront different approaches to regulatory oversight and strategic technological development in the field of artificial intelligence and their implications for the world of work.

The workshop introduces a conceptual framework, relying on a multidisciplinary approach to understand the dynamics of AI regulation from a political economy point of view whereby regulatory initiatives follow different legal traditions, will be guided by country-specific policy objectives and driven by both domestic and international actors.

The workshop lies out how the public discussion around AI regulation can be broken down into general and sectoral principles and guidelines, standards and enforcement mechanisms. It lays out a framework of the implications for different aspects of the world of work, including platform work, OSH, algorithmic management and labour market governance.


Project leads: Ekkehard Ernst and Phoebe Moore.
Project team: Ekkehard Ernst, Robert Donoghue, Phoebe Moore, Jamie Woodcock

9.00 – 9.30
ILO project leads (Ekkehard Ernst and Phoebe Moore). ILO Policy Observatory on Work in the Digital Economy: Objectives and conceptual framing. (in person and live stream)

9.30 – 10.15
Wu Han. China's Governance and Prospects on AI. (remote) 

10.15 - 11.00
Mariana Valente. Regulating AI in Brazil. (in person and live stream)

11.00 - 11.45
ILO Project team (Robert Donoghue, China case study, Jamie Woodcock, Brazil and India). Implications for the world of work.

11.45 - 12.30
Keynote, Peter Bloom. The Future of AI Regulation: Protection, Promotion and Possibility. (in person and live stream)

12.30 - 14.00
Lunch

14.00 - 14.45
Blair Attard-Frost. AI Governance and Worker Protections in Canada. (remote)

14.45 - 15.30
Alex Engler. Regulating AI in Education and Labor.

15.30 - 16.15
Apar Gupta. Perspectives from India on digitisation impacts for labourers during the pandemic. (remote)

16.15 - 17.00

Aude Cefaliello. Aiming at a safe use of AI in the EU: foreseeable clash of regulatory means ahead. (remote)

17.00 - 18.00
ILO Project team (Robert Donoghue, USA; Phoebe Moore, Europe; Jamie Woodcock, Canada, India). Implications for the world of work and wrap up.


Affiliations:
Blair Attard-Frost, University of Toronto
Peter Bloom, University of Essex
Aude Cefaliello, ETUI
Robert Donoghue, University of Essex
Alex Engler, Brookings
Ekkehard Ernst, ILO Research Department
Apar Gupta, Internet Freedom Foundation
Wu Han,吴涵 King & Wood Mallesons|金杜律师事务所 
Phoebe Moore University of Essex, ILO Research Department
Mariana Valente, University of St Gallen Law School.
Jamie Woodcock, University of Essex, ILO Research Department