Monday's conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee was held under the theme ‘Social Justice in the Digital Era: AI's Impact on work and society'.

Decent work, just society

Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, spoke during a panel on how artificial intelligence can be used to create good jobs and a just society in the European Union and beyond.

The issues of collective bargaining, social dialogue, strengthening workers' self-organisation and the role of traditional trade unions are absolutely crucial. They can ensure that all potential risks associated with, for example, downsizing, excessive control over employees‘ privacy and lives, allowing algorithms to evaluate employees can be, if not completely eliminated, then at least reduced, ’ said in Brussels Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk.

As she pointed out, it is also important to promote transparency and explain how algorithms work. To build trust in AI-based systems, it is important to understand how they work and what decisions they can make. This also, and perhaps most importantly, applies to work processes.

We need international cooperation

According to the head of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, it is necessary to invest in research on the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence and to develop a legal and ethical framework to regulate its development and use.

According to Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, work on artificial intelligence in the processes of social life, including work, requires cooperation at international level in a spirit of mutually shared responsibility, so that it can contribute to solving social problems and not generate new, even more serious ones – even if only in the psychological condition of its users.

Priorities of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council

The future of work in the digital economy, the Europe of equality, cohesion and inclusion and the Europe responding to the challenges of the silver transition are the priorities of the Polish Presidency within the EU. They are highly aligned with the goals and priorities of the Global Coalition, in particular: tackling inequality, discrimination and exclusion and expanding access and opportunities for productive and freely chosen employment, as well as supporting sustainable enterprises.