Flexible, contingent, or'agile,' working arrangements provide workers with greater autonomy over when, where, or how to fulfill their responsibilities. In search of increased productivity and reduced absenteeism, organizations have increasingly turned to flexible work arrangements. Although access to flexible work arrangements is more prevalent among high-skilled workers, in the form of flextime or co-working, the past decade has also witnessed growth of independent contractors, digital nomadism, digitally enabled crowdwork, online freelancing, and on-demand platform labor.3 Flexible work arrangements reduce commutes and can enable workers with care-responsibilities to stay in the workforce. Younger workers also see flexibility as a top priority when considering career opportunities.2 Flexible working arrangements can also be mutually beneficial, enabling organizations to scale dynamically. Specific skill sets can be immediately accessed by turning to freelancers to fill organizational gaps. A growing number of organizations and workers rely on short-term and project-based relationships, using online platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr to connect. However, flexible work arrangements often come entwined with precarity cloaked in emancipatory narratives.5 Fixed salaries and benefits have given way to hourly rates and quantified ratings.

With the immense promise of AI, the technology is gaining adoption across several industries. The use-case for ensuring industrial safety is also a great candidate for AI based solutions. AI models can be trained to optimize operations as well as to detect potential incidents or threats arising from poor conditions or equipment degradation. With AI, enterprises can not only respond to events in real-time but also prevent them from happening in the first place. For example, AI algorithms, when implemented in the mining industry, can monitor ambient conditions (hazardous gases, proximity to hazmat, health of equipment) and proactively detect the chances of hazards and take preventive action.