Ben Richards, a representative of the international trade union network UNI Global Union, noted in a recent webinar that two key groups of workers stand out in the data creation chain: content moderators, who clean platforms of harmful materials, and specialists involved in data annotation, which allows AI to learn.
According to Richards, regardless of the country, the working conditions of these workers are similar: they face "extreme pressure, constant monitoring, low wages, and risks to mental health."
Challenges of Content Moderators
Large tech companies often rely on workers from the Global South for content moderation. In an interview with The Guardian, a woman from India shared how she has to review hundreds of videos a day, including scenes of violence and death that cannot be skipped. Other young workers also report the need to classify materials related to child sexual abuse.In India, tens of thousands of people are employed in such jobs. For many of them, especially women from rural areas, working from home with internet access is the only chance to earn an income and gain independence. However, upon employment, they are often unaware of the content they will have to work with and frequently sign agreements that prohibit discussing their work even with close ones. These conditions raise serious concerns among human rights advocates.
According to Richards, his organization is working on creating a global alliance of content moderators and developing safe work protocols based on the right to unionize and collective bargaining. He also added that the benefits of implementing technology should be fairly distributed.
We strive for AI to expand human capabilities.
Algorithmic Pressure
In various countries, there is evidence that algorithmic management, where software systems set the pace of work and assess efficiency, intensifies pressure on workers and creates threats to their safety.Evelyn Astor, Director of Economic and Social Policy at the International Confederation of Trade Unions, warned that without proper regulation, artificial intelligence could exacerbate existing risks.
Data from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, mentioned in the Chinese magazine People, shows that in the first half of 2017, one courier suffered serious injuries or died every 2.5 days. Journalists link these figures to algorithmic delivery systems that shorten the allowable time for order fulfillment.
A study conducted by the University of Cambridge in 2025 found that about two-thirds of drivers and couriers in the UK experience anxiety due to "unfair feedback" and unexpected changes in work schedules set by algorithms.
Although platforms do not provide direct instructions to violate safety rules, the incentive system—penalties and bonuses for speed—creates conditions under which workers are forced to make risky decisions to maintain their income.
Similar problems are observed in other countries where automated systems can manage shifts, set wages, and make decisions about layoffs with minimal human oversight. Union representatives discussing these issues emphasize that the implementation of AI without proper oversight could exacerbate existing difficulties, including increased work pace, enhanced digital surveillance, and bias in hiring decisions.
The Need for Protection
Bilal Jamousi, Deputy Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, noted that AI is applied in systems that significantly impact people's well-being, including decisions about employment and access to services.In this regard, the International Labour Organization and the International Telecommunication Union are intensifying efforts to establish a global dialogue on the future of work in the age of artificial intelligence.
"The question is not whether AI will change the labor market—it is already changing it," said Sher Verick, ILO Coordinator for Digitalization and AI. "It is important to ensure that these changes promote decent work and social justice."
The ILO and ITU are promoting initiatives aimed at developing international approaches to regulating the impact of AI on the labor market, including the "AI for Good" platform and the Global Coalition for Social Justice. For the UN system, a key task is to ensure that artificial intelligence creates opportunities for realizing human potential rather than threatening the safety and well-being of workers.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: Unsplash/Finn.
