Astana hosts int'l forum on Trade Unions' role in AI era

An international forum under the theme Digital Transformation, the Role of Trade Unions and Protection of Labor Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence was held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

According to Report, the event, organized by the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, brought together representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and trade union leaders from a number of countries.

Participants discussed the current state of the global labor market, emerging forms of employment, vocational training, workers' rights and social protection in the era of artificial intelligence, and the evolving role of trade unions amid changing labor conditions.

Speaking at the panel session Automation and Employment: A Just Transition, Sahib Mammadov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, highlighted the importance of the human factor in digital transformation and stressed the need to protect workers' labor rights and social welfare.

He noted that technological progress should remain socially oriented and that new technologies should help people work more efficiently, safely, and under dignified conditions.

Mammadov also said that Azerbaijan is implementing systematic measures to promote professional development and the acquisition of new skills in response to the challenges created by digital and green transformation, adding that the issue remains a priority for the country's leadership.

He noted that Azerbaijan has adopted an Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2025-2028, and that the Digital Development Council, chaired by the First Vice President, has been established to oversee and coordinate digitalization, innovation, and artificial intelligence initiatives.

The forum also included discussions on the new responsibilities facing trade unions in the AI era, changes in labor relations driven by digital transformation, the participation of trade unions in these processes, and opportunities to expand international cooperation.