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Microsoft AI

Microsoft and Labor Unions Form 'Historic' Alliance on AI (bloomberg.com) 38

Posted by msmash from the how-about-that dept.
Microsoft is teaming up with labor unions to create "an open dialogue" on how AI will impact workers. From a report: The software giant is forming an alliance with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, which comprises 60 labor unions representing 12.5 million workers, according to a statement on Monday. Under the partnership, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft will provide labor leaders and workers with formal training on how AI works. The education sessions will start in the winter of 2024. Microsoft will also begin gathering feedback from labor groups and will focus on unions and workers in "key selected sectors."

The initiative marks the first formal collaboration on AI between labor unions and the technology industry and coincides with growing concerns that artificial intelligence could displace workers. The agreement also includes a template for "neutrality" terms that would make it easier for unions to organize at Microsoft. The move expands an approach the company already agreed to for its video game workers and lays the groundwork for broader unionization at Microsoft. Neutrality agreements commit companies not to wage anti-union campaigns in response to workers organizing.
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Microsoft and Labor Unions Form 'Historic' Alliance on AI More

Microsoft and Labor Unions Form 'Historic' Alliance on AI

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  • All this automation (Score:4, Funny)

    by Valgrus Thunderaxe ( 8769977 ) on Monday December 11, 2023 @04:02PM (#64074223)
    When do we start working less?
    • but you already figure that out I'm sure. It's all about supply and demand. We're all going to compete for an increasingly dwindling supply of jobs that pay enough to survive. And since we were taught "socialism bad" during the critical 4 to 14 age group we can't come up with any other solutions besides "work harder".

      • Where are you taught socialism is bad outside of Fox News?

        Cold war is long over. You need to stop assuming the kids today learn the lessons you were taugh (that is coming from a Texas parent whose kids range from 10-27.) All my kids (except for the 10 year old) are very anti-corprate pro-socialism and feel like the government cares for us all. If they teach that in Texas, my guess would be that it's more liberal in non-red states.

        • The Cold War is back, didn't you notice?

        • Re: You don't (Score:4, Insightful)

          by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Monday December 11, 2023 @05:13PM (#64074459) Homepage Journal

          "Where are you taught socialism is bad outside of Fox News?"

          You mean the most trusted news channel in America, from which over half of the population gets their "news"? Why do you imagine another source is needed?

          The majority of politicians also use it as a bad word when talking to people who don't even know what it means.

          The idea that nobody in America is being deliberately lied to about socialism is double dumbfuckery.

          • The idea that nobody in America is being deliberately lied to about socialism is double dumbfuckery.

            Well when it comes from you, it's not a lie, it's misinformation. Lieing would be knowing what socialism actually is, and then saying it's something else. Socialism doesn't mean what you think it means. Because you're uneducated and you don't know what it actually means, technically you're incapable of lying about it.

            • If I want to know what something is, I consult the oracle. That way I don't have to remember precise definitions unless I use them frequently. No problem. I have had occasion to memorize most of the details of the definition of fascism lately, though.

              • Except rsilvergun isn't an oracle. If anything, he's the exact opposite. Sure, I get that you go to him for career advice, but nobody ever said that was a good idea. Look where it got you, after all.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Tyr07 ( 8900565 )

            Everyone wants socialism until they find out they're the one contributing and not receiving.
            A comedian said it best, "I was talking to my friend. and I asked him, if you had two cars, would you give me one? He said sure! Of course I would comrade. He then asked, if you had two houses, would you give me one? He replied Of course comrade! Absolutely. Then he asked, if you had two chickens, would you give me one? He said no!. So he asked his friend, why not? Because I have two of those.

            Strip away the political

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by Targon ( 17348 )
              And you don't even see that you receive a LOT that you probably take for granted, until they are taken away or break. Police, fire departments, roads, even things like the DMV which helps reduce the number of people who are incompetent to drive from being out there on the road, the list goes on and on what EVERYONE receives. And yep, you complain when the roads fall into disrepair, but how many people take public roads for granted when the roads are properly maintained and in good condition? The idea t

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by Tyr07 ( 8900565 )

                The idea that those at the bottom of the economic ladder might actually get something that might allow them to be productive citizens seems to bother a lot of people who live a very comfortable lifestyle..

                I'm not sure where you're going with this. What I said just applies to people regardless of their social economic position. The have little always want those who have lots to give. They claim it's not out of being selfish, it's about a better idealology or morality etc. If they are given enough, and they become the people who have lots, and are asked to give to those who have little, now they're against it.

                Students were surveyed in campus. They wanted people who are working to subsidize and pay for the coll

        • Socialism, where the state owns the means of production, distribution, and other things like housing? Or are you being inaccurate and confusing 'socialism' with a capitalist economy with some socialist things, like a welfare state? You know, like the Nordic countries?

      • AI is THE path to the socialist utopia that you commonly push for.

        The Achilles heel of socialism is the lack of incentive to do the dirty work. Everybody hates it, and if they can get what they need without doing it, then they don't do it. So you wind up having to force people to do it, which is just state-sponsored slavery at that point.

        Once you have your army of robots happily doing it, that problem vanishes, and a socialism-first economy suddenly becomes sustainable.

        We aren't there yet, though. For th

        • > The Achilles heel of socialism is the lack of incentive to do the dirty work. Everybody hates it, and if they can get what they need without doing it, then they don't do it. So you wind up having to force people to do it, which is just state-sponsored slavery at that point.

          I'm having difficulty following that "The Achilles heel of socialism is the lack of incentive to do the dirty work"

          Could you give some examples of "the dirty work" and what is the "lack of incentive"

          • The "socialist utopia" is one in which one's ability to live well is not tied to their ability to work. They receive what they need regardless of the kind of work they do or even whether they work or not. Unfortunately, the word "socialism" is not very well-defined and people use it to mean different things. So if you have a different concept of socialism than this, what I am saying here might not apply. I would be interested to hear your other definitions, in that case.

            So, that means that people get fr

            • Thanks, I always wondered why trash collectors and sewer workers were paid so much more than managers and doctors. This clears it right up!

              • That post seems sarcastic. And it makes no sense. Have you studied economics?

                Supply-and-demand sets the salaries. There is a much larger supply of people who have the necessary knowledge and skills to be good trash collectors and sewer workers than there are people who have the necessary skills to be managers and doctors. One must go to school for a long time, and have unusually high intelligence and endurance, to become a doctor. That's called a "barrier to entry," and since most people do not have wh

            • > The "socialist utopia" is one in which one's ability to live well is not tied to their ability to work. They receive what they need regardless of the kind of work they do or even whether they work or not.

              Utopian socialism - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

              I don't think that's what you mean, I haven't seen socialism described quite the way you are, I'm use to ideas like Socialism is related to who owns the means of production - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

              On the issue of 'dirty work', I'm not sure

  • To ask a fox for instructions on how to secure the chicken coop is just plain stupid.

    • Not in this case (IMHO). IF Microsoft does provide training, it will give the unions a good base to work with so they can more clearly understand some of the changes which are coming whether they like it or not. It will also provide a better understanding of how their members will need to update their skills as well as how union contracts will need to be negotiated.

      While one training session will not be the end all, it's a good start so long as everyone involved is willing to work with the other . If the

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Targon ( 17348 )
      There has been a problem for hundreds of years, where the least educated and skilled people are displaced by any technological developments. Those who have an education and SKILLS are generally safe, and can use the new technologies to become more productive. Now, getting that very idea out to the masses of people out there who don't seem to like the idea of a higher education being good for people has been a big challenge in the USA.

  • Hopefully Microsoft is of the same mindset as Ford: your workers can buy your product if you pay them more. With AI it's even simpler: no one can buy your products if no one has a job. It's in all of the tech company's best interest to not put everyone out of work.

    • now we're at the point where it's "did the King need peasants to buy an iPhone?".

      The 1% doesn't need us. Now mind you, we don't need them. But while they're well aware of how superfluous we are, for our part we still haven't come to terms with how utterly useless they are.
  • This has really big “To Serve Man” vibes.
  • Brown University Professor of International Economics (not being American) points out America was socialist during the Cold War. All that baby boomer wealth was nothing to do with them. If the US could not allow someone leaving school at 15 to get a job that pays for a house and family, communism would of won.

  • I've said it before, but under Satya Nadella the strategic moves of Microsoft have become a lot smarter and much more focused on the long term. I'm not sure people underestimate him, but I'm also not sure he gets enough credit for that shift in focus.

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