The hidden workforce powering AI: Unseen labour and urgent reforms

Mercy, a content moderator from Kenya, spends her days filtering social media for inappropriate content, epitomising the invisible labour force behind AI.

"AI is an extraction machine," says Professor Mark Graham from the Oxford Internet Institute, highlighting the global, undervalued workforce essential to AI.

Mercy’s experience was spotlighted at the Regional Reshaping Work 2024 conference in Belgrade, themed "Platform work in the age of AI". Graham emphasised the precarious conditions AI workers face in his book Feeding the machine: The hidden human labour powering AI. He praised Sama, a non-profit advocating fair labour conditions for data annotators, noting that "Sama's initiatives like capping workweeks at 45 hours are crucial steps forward."

The EU’s role in regulating platform work

Manuela Geleng from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion emphasised the EU's efforts to regulate the platform economy through the AI Act.

"As the sector is bound to grow, there is a need to provide more clarity for people involved in platform work," she asserted.

Geleng stressed the need for robust frameworks to protect workers' rights while balancing benefits for both employers and workers.

"The EU's approach is to embrace digital transformation and make it beneficial for all." 

Participants discussed fairness and transparency in AI processes to prevent bias and the critical role of data in today's world.

"Data is becoming the new gold," Ummuhan Bardak from the European Training Foundation noted, highlighting the importance of discussing access to platform-held datasets.

Local challenges in a global context

Milan Dobrijević from the Serbian Ministry of Information and Telecommunications confirmed the strong engagement in pursuing the digital transformation of the country. Enhancing digital infrastructure would not only foster the economic growth and competitiveness, but also improve access to education and training, and jobs.

In a session focusing on regional issues, Vassil Kirov from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences noted the attractiveness of platform work in Southeastern Europe due to limited traditional job opportunities.

"Even though platforms in the Western Balkans have grown fivefold in the last five years, we need more awareness on these issues," he said.

Iwona Ganko from the European Training Foundation pointed out that platform work offers access to competitive international markets and flexibility, though its impact varies.

"Platform work can be a great opportunity or a threat, depending on how it's managed," she explained.

Čedanka Andrić from the European Trade Union Confederation called for urgent political action to address the significant gap in social protection for platform workers.

"Only collective action can make a difference in this sector," she stressed.

Skills for the future of AI work

A breakout session on "Skills for the new platform era", organised by the European Training Foundation, highlighted the urgency for more digital literacy, STEM education, and lifelong learning. The needs for platform work are much broader, including transversal skills, such as self-organisation, time management and entrepreneurial skills.

"The nature of platform work and competition requires a strong agency of individuals, which includes soft skills," noted Professor Anna Krasteva.

A new policy briefing presented by Ganko, titled The age of AI: Platform work in EU neighbouring countries, reveals indeed the rapid growth of platform work in EU neighbouring countries and emphasises the importance of enhancing digital infrastructure and promoting fair working conditions.

Based on comprehensive research conducted between 2020 and 2024, the paper shows that platform work is rapidly gaining traction in EU neighbouring countries, with the number of workers on international platforms in the Western Balkans increasing more than 3.5 times between 2017 and 2022. Ukraine, Serbia, and Egypt are leading in the number of platform workers.

The paper outlines two types of platform work:

• remote or online work, which often requires advanced digital skills and offers higher earnings; and
• on-location work, like ride-hailing and delivery, which provides essential income but often under precarious conditions.

The paper recommends enhancing digital infrastructure, promoting digital skills, and ensuring fair working conditions. Equal access to data is essential for directing future-proof policies. Policymakers are urged to address the digital divide and support workers transitioning into the platform economy.

Looking forward

The Regional Reshaping Work 2024 conference provided insights into the future of work in the AI age. As Graham stated:

"We must rewire the machine to ensure it benefits everyone, not just a privileged few."

Worker power, consumer pressure, and government regulation will be crucial in creating a more equitable platform economy.