Session 4 | AI and Economics Platforms

What if your boss is an aglorithm? The platform economy is an economic model in which transactions and value creation are carried out through digital platforms. This model has changed the landscape of labor relations, by introducing new forms of work such as independent work and the gig economy. Women workers in the platform economy are often hired as freelancers or independent contractors, instead of traditional employees, which can imply a lack of labor protection and violation of rights.

In this panorama, how does the implementation of automated decision systems, or artificial intelligence, affect in terms of labor rights? On the one hand, the mantra is repeated that AI-powered automation can replace traditional jobs, which could lead to unemployment and economic inequality. On the other, platform workers may face precarious working conditions, lack of social protection, and lack of basic labor rights.

The regulation of AI applied to productive work and the platform economy is essential to protect labor rights, but how to articulate it? This may include creating laws and policies that guarantee social protection, job security and equal opportunities for workers in the platform economy. It is also proposed as a key to promote transparency in the algorithms used on the platforms and promote the accountability of companies in terms of protection of labor rights.

In this session we count with Anna Ginès Fabrellas, professor of the Department of Law at ESADE and director of the Institute of Labor Studies, Sergi Cutillas, economist specializing in competition policy, digitization and strategic consulting, member of the Observatory of Labour, Algorithm, and Society (Observatori TAS), and Daniel Cruz Fuentes, Responsible for Analysis and Digital Transformation of CCOO Catalonia.

📺 Retrieve the session here

📌 Organitza: Canòdrom - Ateneu d'Innovació Digital i Democràtica