The International Labour Office (ILO) has many experts in the field of employment, including specialist Janine Berg. A senior economist at the ILO, she has been working since 2002 on inclusive labour markets, relations within the world of work and working conditions in different sectors. Having also worked for 3 years in the ILO’s Brazil office as an employment specialist, she is also the author of several books and numerous articles on the labour market.
Her current area of interest is transformations in the world of work, and more specifically digital work platforms and algorithmic management. As a result, her interests are directly in line with those of the Innovation Committee, with whom she will be discussing the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence for future jobs and for improving working conditions.
The expert lent herself to the FerMUN experience, and spent an hour reacting to the resolutions envisaged within ILO 4. Ms Berg began her speech by talking about digital transformations in the world of work and the impact of artificial intelligence. New technological advances have always caused apprehension from the outset, so it seems only natural that artificial intelligence should give rise to concern. In her view, one of the greatest dangers facing the public at the moment is misinformation.
She argues that the countries that are least developed in terms of infrastructure and economy should be doing more to make up for their shortcomings rather than trying to join the transition. She mentions a major problem: the place of women in the labour market is likely to be affected by the arrival of new technologies within companies.
Nevertheless, she adds that the integration of technologies within companies can have major benefits, particularly in terms of the quality of work. It is vitally important that the technological transition is not imposed in such a way as to control employees, but rather that there is an opportunity for feedback from employees to their employer. Artificial intelligences could provide a great deal of assistance to workers, particularly in the field of health. As far as the arts sector is concerned, the specialist believes that it will not be replaced just yet: people still prefer to go to concerts to listen to live music, even though the technologies to replace them already exist.
New types of jobs will also emerge in the near future, and these will help to reduce unemployment in certain countries and thus contribute to people’s well-being.
Tessa Dupenloup