International summit holds talks on the future of work

10th March 2017

Enaie Azambuja

0 0

Technology experts, social scientists and government officials met in London for an international summit on the future of work in a digital world. As advances in machine learning and AI threaten to disrupt labour markets globally, the summit led by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) will call on businesses and governments globally to urgently look at new ways to create and sustain decent jobs for all.

Technological advances from self-driving vehicles to automated manufacturing to algorithmic decision making are upending industries such as transportation, textiles, banking and insurance. According to research* 47% of jobs in the US and 35% in the UK are at risk of automation and prospects for workers in lower-income countries are predicted to be even worse.

Speakers and participants at the Digital Development Summit from organisations including Facebook and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD will discuss ideas for how businesses can create and sustain jobs and how governments could help enable and support decent work, including universal basic income, levying digital taxes and revamping education and training.

They will also consider the fact the expected job losses from technological advances stand to disproportionally impact women and the urgent need to ensure the risks and benefits of digital technology are considered in relation to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals Goal 8 ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’.

Dr Becky Faith, Deputy Leader of Digital Development at IDS said: “Too often trajectories of the future of work are treated as a pre-determined scenario in which technology decides the fate of millions of workers. Yet these are issues of politics and policy and we hope today’s Summit provides an opportunity to build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing us all.”

The Digital Development Summit is organised by IDS in collaboration with the World Wide Web Foundation and Nesta is held at the Southbank Centre with over 120 people taking part.