PROVIDENCE – Sen. Victoria Gu, D-South Kingstown, and Rep. Thomas E. Noret, D-Coventry, have introduced legislation intended to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in workplace decision-making and establish guidelines ensuring these technologies are used transparently in evaluating employee performance.
Gu cited the need for disclosure and human oversight in algorithmic decisions impacting workers, especially instances where employees were unjustly disciplined due to algorithm errors.
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“Businesses in Rhode Island are already using AI and electronic monitoring tools to surveil and discipline workers in a way no human supervisor could,” she said. “If you’re making these consequential decisions over workers’ lives, there needs to be disclosure, meaningful human oversight and an opportunity to make corrections because we have seen real examples where workers are disciplined because of an algorithm error.”
The bill would create a regulatory framework, including disclosure to employees about what electronic monitoring is happening; meaningful oversight on algorithmic decisions like discipline, pay and termination; requiring companies to use the least-invasive means of electronic monitoring possible; and prohibiting electronic monitoring in break rooms, bathrooms and during off-duty hours.
The bill aligns with similar initiatives in other states.
“We are just at the beginning of the artificial intelligence revolution,” said Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. “Rhode Island has a chance to be a national leader by creating some common-sense guardrails, so workers do not get exploited by this new technology.”
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
