How will new AI legislation affect businesses?

Despite the hope that artificial intelligence (AI) might revolutionise the future of work, the general consensus so far seems to be that it has negative implications on the workforce. The TUC warned in March that workers could be "hired and fired by algorithm", while a recent Harvard Business School study revealed that the majority (88 per cent) of employers believe qualified applicants are filtered out by the screening software. Campaigners and policy makers are also questioning the impact that AI is having on the quality of work – whether it be algorithms that decide how much work app-based couriers receive, or automated performance monitoring pushing warehouse staff to forego toilet breaks in order to meet packing targets. The issue was summarised by a report from the Institute for the Future of Work, which said: "We find that it is not the replacement of humans by machines but the treatment of humans as machines" that defined the current era of work. Last week, a group of MPs decried the "growing body of evidence" pointing towards a "significant negative impact on the conditions and quality of work across the country" caused by the use of algorithms in the workplace.