Partnership Between Microsoft and Labor Unions
Microsoft and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) announced a partnership focused on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on workers on Monday.
The partnership was formed between the tech giant and AFL-CIO, which represents 60 labor unions and 12.5 million workers, “to create an open dialogue” on how artificial intelligence affects the workforce.
The three goals of the partnership are to provide AI education for workers, consider worker perspectives in the development of AI technology, and “help shape public policies that support technology skills and the needs of frontline workers.”
The partnership comes amid concerns that artificial intelligence may replace some workers.
Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. estimated in a research report in July that up to 30% of working hours in the U.S. economy could be automated by 2030 and predicted that 12 million workers may need to transition to different occupations. While this may translate to job loss for some people, jobs working alongside emerging technology are also expected to be created, particularly for those with AI skills.
Through the partnership, AI experts at Microsoft will lead educational sessions for AFL-CIO workers starting in the winter of 2024, along with “intensive and hands-on workshops from 2024 to 2026 that will be specifically tailored to particular careers and roles,” according to the press release.
Training workers in AI is particularly important as a shortage of AI talent could threaten innovation and the implementation of technology. This shortage was highlighted when tech companies, like Microsoft, scrambled to accommodate and match the compensation of any OpenAI employees threatening to leave after CEO Sam Altman was temporarily fired from the company in November.
Amazon (AMZN), another tech company in the AI race, launched a free AI skills training program in November to address the talent shortage in AI.
Microsoft’s shares fell less than 1% on Monday. Despite Monday’s losses, the tech company’s shares are still up over 50% so far this year.
Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reports, and interviews with industry experts. We also refer to original research from other trusted publishers when appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate and unbiased content in our editorial policy.
Article sources:
- AFL-CIO. “AFL-CIO and Microsoft Announce New Tech-Labor Partnership on AI and the Future of the Workforce.”
- McKinsey & Co. “Generative AI and the Future of Work in America.”
- Unleash. “McKinsey: AI Innovation Constrained by Talent Shortage.”
Leave a Reply