GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / EuroWire / — The International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for a human-centred approach to artificial intelligence, saying workers, rights and social dialogue must be placed at the centre of the technological shift reshaping labour markets. Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo delivered the message during the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, where government, employer and worker representatives from 187 member states are meeting from June 1 to 12 to discuss major issues affecting the future of work.
Houngbo’s report to the conference, titled A Moment of Choice: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Decent Work, says the impact of AI on jobs depends on policy decisions, institutional safeguards and collective engagement rather than technology alone. The report frames artificial intelligence as a workplace issue tied to employment, skills, labour rights, social protection and productivity gains. It also places AI governance within the ILO’s broader mandate on decent work and social justice.
The ILO said artificial intelligence is changing how work is organized, how tasks are performed, how value is created and how workplace decisions are made. The agency said the spread of AI should be guided by a rights-based approach that protects workers while allowing productivity benefits to support wages, working conditions and inclusive growth. The message aligns AI policy with long-running labour priorities, including equality, representation and access to lifelong learning.
Rights and skills at centre
The report identifies four core areas for a human-centred AI agenda: rights, employment and skills, social protection and social dialogue. It says labour rights should apply as new technologies are introduced and that workers need access to training that allows them to adapt to changing tasks. The report also links effective AI adoption to institutions capable of managing transition, including labour administrations, employers’ organizations, trade unions and systems for workplace consultation.
Skills development forms a central part of the ILO’s position. The agency says lifelong learning is needed as AI affects both routine and higher skilled work, including through automation, decision-support systems and digital tools that alter job content. The report does not present AI as a single labour market outcome. Instead, it says results vary according to sectors, occupations, national conditions and whether technology is used to replace, complement or reorganize human work.
Social dialogue shapes adoption
The conference is also examining decent work in the platform economy, a related issue because digital labour platforms use data systems and algorithmic management to allocate tasks, assess performance and set conditions for workers. The 114th International Labour Conference includes discussions on labour standards for platform work, alongside items on gender equality at work, social dialogue and tripartism. These agenda items place AI and digital work within wider debates over employment protections and labour market governance.
Houngbo’s message puts governments, employers and workers at the centre of decisions over how artificial intelligence is introduced in workplaces. The report says social dialogue can help determine how productivity gains are shared, how risks are addressed and how workers participate in technological change. It also says policy choices made during the current phase of AI adoption will shape whether the technology supports decent work, social justice and more inclusive labour markets.