Employees across multiple countries are experiencing increasing levels of workplace monitoring powered by artificial intelligence systems, raising concerns about privacy and fairness in employment settings.
A recent case involving Co-op, a UK-based company operating supermarkets and professional services, illustrates the trend. The organization deployed automated listening technology at its legal services division to evaluate phone calls between customer service representatives and clients seeking guidance on wills, estates, and probate matters. The system records conversations and assigns performance scores based on the interactions. An anonymous whistleblower described the monitoring approach as “oppressive and dystopian,” while a Co-op worker stated plainly, “You are being watched.” The company disputed the characterization, asserting that its probate advisers demonstrated high levels of engagement.
In response to growing worker dissatisfaction with such practices, California’s governor signed legislation into law earlier this week designed to restrict certain surveillance techniques. The new regulations target monitoring methods such as heat maps that track employee movements throughout facilities, including time spent in restrooms, and systems that assess workers’ emotional states during job performance. Tech companies have faced previous criticism for similar practices; Amazon warehouse employees have complained about timing restrictions on bathroom breaks, and nurses at Kaiser Permanente reported that automated systems evaluated their vocal tone during patient interactions.
Beyond monitoring, coverage of artificial intelligence in the workplace has revealed significant disparities in how benefits are distributed. Research indicates that men working in AI-related fields earn approximately $45,000 more annually than women in comparable positions, with men more frequently hired for higher-paying roles. Female entrepreneurs have reported that male co-founders prove more successful when pitching to investors, suggesting systemic barriers to women’s advancement in the sector.
Elsewhere, remote workers in Kenya participating in data annotation tasks for technology companies face precarious circumstances. These workers operate under unclear conditions with compensation systems tied to quality assessments that determine whether they receive payment at all. Many workers described the arrangement as unjust while acknowledging limited employment alternatives, and expressed urgency to secure income before automation potentially eliminates their positions entirely.
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