Beyond the Black Box: Negotiating Artificial Intelligence at the Workplace

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly penetrating the most diverse areas of our everyday lives and the world of work. Its real impact is hard to assess, not only because many AI systems work in the background but also because the term is unclear and mainly used for marketing purposes. In addition, AI systems are often seen as a ‘black box’, not fully understood even by their developers. This chapter aims to provide a better understanding of where and how artificial intelligence is used in the world of work and how trade unions and other employee representatives can negotiate its use. In its first part, the chapter gives an overview of three different forms of AI at the workplace: algorithmic management, automated decision-making, and generative AI. The second part discusses the possibilities of negotiating artificial intelligence in the context of the recently updated German Works Constitution Act, and it introduces the concept of the Machine Learning Pipeline as a means to tackle the ‘black box’ issue.