Labor Department releases principles on AI and workers, with pledges from Microsoft, Indeed
The Biden administration this week released a list of principles meant to govern how workers interact with artificial intelligence. The move comes in response to last year’s AI executive order and will be followed by a new list of best practices expected to be published by the Labor Department.
The principles focus on values like ensuring responsible use of workers’ data, supporting workers who might need to be upskilled because of artificial intelligence, and committing to using transparency when deploying AI. The principles appear to be voluntary and follow another set of non-binding commitments focused on artificial intelligence announced last July that included pledges from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
“Workers must be at the heart of our nation’s approach to AI technology development and use,” acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement. “These principles announced [Thursday] reflect the Biden-Harris administration’s belief that, in addition to complying with existing laws, artificial intelligence should also enhance the quality of work and life for all workers. As employers and developers implement these principles, we are determined to create a future where technology serves the needs of people above all.”
Microsoft and Indeed, the online job repository platform, have agreed to these principles, according to a press release shared by the White House. The administration seemed to be courting further support for the principles in a post, noting that it “welcomes additional commitments from other technology companies.”
Notably, the White House recently hosted an event with senior officials from the Labor Department focused on the technology’s impact on workers, according to an IBM executive’s post on LinkedIn.
Neither the White House nor the Department of Labor responded to requests for comment.
