AI is transforming how companies recruit, hire, manage performance, discipline and restructure their workforce – but not without legal and ethical challenges. This session will explore this transformation, examining some cutting-edge workplace technologies as well as examining usage data and anecdotes from the front lines. AI may (at least arguably) lead to extraordinary gains in efficiency and productivity.  

Among the legal challenges to be examined are the privacy and data protection concerns arising from the vast quantities of data collected about employee behaviour. Likewise, employee use of AI tools risks the loss of confidential or trade secret information. Retaining and collecting such data increases potential cybersecurity and data breach risks. Algorithms may reflect the biases inherent in their underlying data, potentially perpetuating inequalities related to age, gender, ethnicity or background. There are fundamental questions of transparency, explainability and fairness when decisions are made by AI with no human input. Indeed, these issues (and others) point to the need for continued human involvement (if not management) and accountability for the recommendations generated by workplace AI tools.