Book Review: Dignity at Work in AI Era

Sarah O'Connor's new book, "We Are Not Machines," explores the future of labor amidst the increasing dominance of artificial intelligence and automation. The book investigates how these technological advancements are reshaping the job market and the terms of employment, posing significant questions about the potential impact on workers' dignity and safety. O'Connor, a journalist with nearly two decades of experience at the Financial Times, draws parallels between contemporary challenges and historical struggles in the workplace.

The central theme of the book highlights the ongoing conflict between human labor and machine efficiency, as well as the persistent fight for decent working conditions under mounting pressure to maximize production. O'Connor points out that concerns about the health risks associated with repetitive tasks and the erosion of creative craftsmanship and independent judgment due to mechanization are not new phenomena. Many of the threats posed by AI to workers' dignity and safety are presented as reconfigurations of older battles.

The title of the book, "We Are Not Machines," is derived from the protest signs carried by striking Swedish miners in 1969. These miners were demonstrating against their employers' implementation of new methods for monitoring their output. Their signs, reading "Vi är ej maskiner," underscored their assertion of humanity in the face of increasing mechanization and surveillance in the workplace. O'Connor's work thus frames the current AI revolution within a broader historical context of labor rights and the human element in work.