NAIROBI,Kenya,June 3-The Central Organization of Trade Unions – Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called for urgent international labour safeguards to regulate the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), warning that its uneven impact could reshape global work systems in ways that both strengthen and undermine decent employment.
Speaking during the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, Atwoli welcomed the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) analysis on AI-driven transformation in the world of work, framing the technology as a major economic disruptor with dual consequences for productivity and labour protection systems.
He noted that AI is already influencing labour markets through efficiency gains, job creation in emerging digital sectors, and improved governance structures.
“To date, available evidence shows that AI adoption enhances decent work outcomes through increased productivity and creation of new opportunities while also strengthening labour market governance and social protection systems.”
However, Atwoli cautioned that the same technological shift carries significant risks if left insufficiently regulated, especially in developing economies where digital infrastructure and labour protections remain uneven.
He warned that disparities in access to skills, infrastructure, and investment are likely to determine whether workers and firms benefit from AI or are displaced by it, with vulnerable groups facing the highest risk of exclusion.
In a stark warning on the social implications of unchecked automation, he added that “At the same time, AI exposure has the potential to undermine the exercise of workers’ rights, widen inequality and accelerate social exclusion.”
Atwoli further called for renewed global standard-setting to regulate AI use in recruitment, performance management, and workplace surveillance, arguing that existing labour frameworks are increasingly under pressure from fast-evolving digital systems.
He urged the ILO to consider convening expert and sectoral meetings to assess the adequacy of current conventions and to provide updated guidance to member states, noting that labour institutions must evolve in step with technological change.
The COTU position reflects growing global concern that while AI may boost economic output and efficiency, it could also deepen structural inequality unless matched with strong governance, inclusive skills development, and enforceable labour protections.
