Emerging Technologies at Work: Policy Ideas to Address Negative Consequences for Work, Workers, and Society

Emerging technologies such as sensors, drones, robots, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality increasingly operate as interlinked components in large technological suites that carry out novel functions. In this article, the author outlines potential negative consequences for work, workers, and society that use of these emerging technologies pose and offers policy ideas for a proactive, strategic response. Resonating across these policy ideas is a call for government to hold corporations accountable. In addition, workers and others who tend to our social fabric, built environment, and governing institutions must participate in the process of technology development, selection, design, implementation, and use. Given the potential for the use of emerging technologies to transform work and society radically and quickly, it falls upon all of us, not just a powerful few, to make choices that support positive outcomes.