[Video] DiPLab’s Paola Tubaro Speaks at ETUI Conference on Occupational Safety and Health
We are pleased to announce that DiPLab co-director Paola Tubaro presented at the
annual conference of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) on Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH), dedicated to the age of artificial intelligence.
In her presentation, she challenged common narratives of automation by revealing
a fundamental truth: behind the “magic” of contemporary AI lies intensive human
labor. This includes the often-invisible work of data annotators, content
moderators, translators, voice actors, and numerous other workers who make AI
systems function.
Paola Tubaro’s research highlights how OSH issues in AI production arise
directly from the organization of this work. The combination of outsourcing,
offshoring, and digital intermediation creates precarious labor conditions that
significantly affect workers’ mental health and well-being.
Her presentation focused on three critical dimensions of occupational health
risks:
* Stress from uncertainty and long/unusual working hours: Data workers face
unstable employment conditions, irregular schedules, and the constant
pressure of uncertain income streams.
* Social isolation: The digitally mediated nature of this work, often performed
remotely and with little direct human contact, contributes to profound
feelings of isolation among workers.
* Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Content moderation workers, in
particular, face severe psychological consequences from repeated exposure to
disturbing, violent, or traumatic content.
The ETUI annual conference on Occupational Safety and Health brought together
researchers, trade union representatives, policymakers, and practitioners to
examine the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents
for workplace safety and health across Europe.
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