Exposure to new technologies including trackers, robots and AI-based software at work is bad for people's quality of life, according to a groundbreaking study from the the Institute for Work thinktank. Based on a survey of more than 6,000 people, the study analysed the impact on wellbeing of four groups of technologies that are becoming increasingly prevalent across the economy. The authors found that the more workers were exposed to technologies in three of these categories – software based on AI and machine learning; surveillance devices such as wearable trackers; and robotics – the worse their health and wellbeing tended to be. By contrast, use of more long-established information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as laptops, tablets and instant messaging at work tended to have a more positive effect on wellbeing. "We found that quality of life improved as the frequency of interaction with ICTs increased, whereas quality of life deteriorated as frequency of interaction with newer workplace technologies rose," the report said.

Campaigners, trade unions and MPs are calling for stricter oversight of the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, amid growing concerns about its effect on staff rights. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is holding a half-day conference on Tuesday to highlight the challenges of ensuring workers are treated fairly, as what it calls "management by algorithm" becomes increasingly prevalent. "Making work more rewarding, making it more satisfying, and crucially making it safer and fairer: these are all the possibilities that AI offers us," said Mary Towers, an employment lawyer who runs a TUC project on AI at work. "But what we're saying is, we're at a really important juncture, where the technology is developing so rapidly, and what we have to ask ourselves is, what direction do we want that to take, and how can we ensure that everyone's voice is heard?" The TUC has highlighted the growing use of employee surveillance. The Royal Mail chief executive, Simon Thompson, recently conceded some postal workers' movements were minutely tracked using handheld devices, with the data sused for performance management, for example.

AI can improve or worsen job quality. What constitutes a quality job? If you were to ask family and friends, they would probably say good pay, benefits, and stable working conditions, but for many workers, workplace technologies, especially AI, are affecting job quality. That's important because the U.S. has a serious job quality problem. The number one ESG challenge companies are grappling with is the treatment of workers.

This article is part of our series that explores the business of artificial intelligence. Digital technologies, and at their forefront artificial intelligence, are triggering fundamental shifts in society, politics, education, economy, and other fundamental aspects of life. These changes provide opportunities for unprecedented growth across different sectors of the economy. But at the same time, they entail challenges that organizations must overcome before they can tap into their full potential. In a recent talk at an online conference organized by Stanford Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), Stanford professor Erik Brynjolfsson discussed some of these opportunities and challenges.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace has long been a sensitive topic. Many people see it as robots taking over their jobs, while some firms remain sceptical about the technology due to the costs. But, in the face of the coronavirus crisis many businesses have come around to the benefits of AI. According to a report by Forrester, AI adoption grew by 15 percentage points in 2020. Forrester suggests that firms will tackle all the negative ideas of AI in 2021. Forrester says that in 2021, "the grittiest of companies will push AI to new frontiers, such as holographic meetings for remote work and on-demand personalised manufacturing."

In theory, it sounds good to implement AI in an organization. But many HR leaders are worried about adopting data and automation technologies: Is it burdensome? Does it take the human out of human resources? Fear not, HR Tech speakers said during the HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held virtually. When used to their full potential, data and analytics can help HR advance its position as a critical value creator, providing data-driven insights that will benefit employees in the form of recruitment and onboarding, developmental opportunities, and innovative programs and policies, said Kiran Raja, executive vice president of AI and data solutions at Alight Solutions.

It has been widely tipped that 2020 is the year in which artificial intelligence is going to fully arrive in our workplace. But is it really the case? And how much is HR getting on board with this much touted digital revolution? According to a just-released report by Udemy for Business, 2020 workplace learning trends: The skills of the future: "AI brings with it a proliferation of data. Organisations and their employees will need to manage, store, process, analyse, and draw actionable insights from the data generated by AI. "Becoming a data-driven culture will be essential for organisations to harness the power of AI and big data." That said, it appears that most companies are not yet prepared factor in the impact of new technologies – with recent figures suggesting just 26% are ready. "With large-scale technology disruption, organisations will need to respond in a transformational way.

There used to be a time in the not-too-distant past when we feared the oncoming hordes of robots in the workplace. That time is no longer. People now have more trust in robots than their managers, according to the second annual AI at Work study conducted by Oracle and research firm Future Workplace. The study of 8,370 employees, managers and HR leaders across 10 countries, found that AI has changed the relationship between people and technology at work and is reshaping the role HR teams and managers need to play in attracting, retaining and developing talent. The latest advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence are rapidly reaching mainstream, resulting in a massive shift in the way people across the world interact with technology and their teams, says Emily He, senior vice president, human capital management for Oracle's cloud business group.