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Artificial Intelligence (AI) that uses cameras for workplace monitoring to check for health and safety violations for worker protection and safety received backlash from Australian employees about creeping culture and possible privacy violations.
AI-powered workplace safety platform, Intenseye reports catering to customers from Australia, which includes a vast mining company. It uses cameras to monitor facilities and sends immediate violation notifications.
When incorporated with AI technology, CCTV cameras appear to be beneficial in detecting workplace hazards and chemical spills. It can also be programmed to spot workers failing to observe and wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hard hats or gloves.
“Even though this is just one small example that they can justify under certain health and safety grounds — potentially can be justified — there are probably a million other use cases where similar technology can also be justified,” said Nicholas Davies, professor of emerging technologies at the University of Technology Sydney.
Professor Davies emphasized that this latest AI-powered technology raises issues about the steady growth of the surveillance industry dependent on constantly monitoring workers. Moreover, he perceived that the practice is a catalyst for change in the output of the employees as they become more conscious of their behaviour due to the presence of cameras around them.
As a defence, Intenseye said that the system blurs the faces of each employee caught in AI-powered cameras to avoid counterattacks for workers’ privacy protection. David Lemon, customer success manager of Intenseye, emphasized that their clients cannot access the request to unblur the faces.
Professor Davies said that Australian law fails to anticipate technological breakthroughs, especially in the ethical use of AI. Though the Privacy Act 1988 still does not include workplace surveillance, it is currently being reviewed by the federal government.
“We have first to map out principles regarding what is fair and what is prone to abuse,” said Jim Stanford, an economist and director of the Centre of Future Work at the Australia Institute.
This debate over the ethical use of AI in workplace surveillance is likely to continue as technology advances. What is clear is that there are pros and cons to using AI-powered cameras in the workplace and that businesses and organizations should decide to implement such a system carefully after considering all the potential implications.
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