Sarah Fox — (Re)Working AI: Designing workplace technologies with and for labor

Work is transforming rapidly. While some might suggest labor is in a perpetual state of change, the accelerated development and deployment of artificially intelligent (AI) systems within workplaces is set to meaningfully reshape the livelihoods of millions of workers across industries for decades to come. Though proponents see potential in automation as a means to rid work of monotony and boost productivity, many workers and worker advocates view AI as an existential threat to “good jobs” or those that provide meaningful employment, adequate pay, and necessary health benefits. This disconnect is rooted in a fundamental distance between those whose interests are prioritized in the development process and those who end up using the technology. Although the fields of computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) and human-computer interaction (HCI) have a legacy of exploring methods of promoting worker participation in the design of particular workplace systems, less is understood about how participatory research approaches could be applied across the technology lifecycle—from procurement and integration to governance—to increase value for those on the frontlines. In this talk, Fox will outline the concept of “worker-centered design,” an approach that emphasizes the well-being and input of employees, aiming to enhance not only productivity but also cooperation, autonomy, and fulfillment. Drawing on ongoing ethnographic and design research, she will discuss three distinct cases in sectors facing different forms of technological change: 1) waste management, which is seeing a rise in robotics for sorting and disinfection; 2) public transportation, for which autonomous vehicle technologies are being developed; and 3) hospitality, which regularly employs algorithmic management. Across these sites, Fox describes labor-aligned efforts to evaluate the impacts of AI technologies on work practices and to develop methods and tools to ensure that working people have a voice in the creation, implementation, and governance of technologies in their workplaces.