RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF WORK: AI-DRIVEN WORKPLACES, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND THE CHALLENGES FOR INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the modern workplace has radically reshaped employer-employee relations, job security, privacy, and equality. While AI presents opportunities for increased efficiency, cost reduction, and innovation, its deployment in managing labour—particularly through automated hiring, productivity surveillance, algorithmic task allocation, and predictive termination—raises urgent questions about the adequacy of international human rights protections in the future of work. This article critically examined the intersection of AI-driven workplace technologies and core labour-related human rights, including the rights to privacy, non-discrimination, freedom of association, and just conditions of work. It explores the regulatory gaps within existing international legal instruments such as the ILO Conventions and major UN human rights treaties, identifying the failure of current legal frameworks to address the algorithmic opacity, accountability, and structural bias inherent in many AI systems. The article also considers regional responses and national models, drawing lessons from emerging legislation such as the EU AI Act, and the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy. It concludes by proposing a rights-based approach to AI governance in the workplace that aligns technological development with international labour standards, promotes worker dignity, and ensures that digital innovation does not come at the cost of fundamental freedoms.