Four in ten employees are already measured digitally

The conversation around AI's impact on the workforce has largely focused on job automation, but a more pervasive trend is emerging: the automation of management. This shift means AI is not just threatening employment but also fundamentally altering how work is controlled and supervised, creating a divide between those who wield AI as a tool and those who are subjected to its oversight.

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If AI makes a lawyer or an analyst twice as productive – would we get twice as much growth or half as many employees?

Companies are deploying AI assistants to monitor and manage employees in real-time. Burger King in the US introduced "Patty," an AI assistant that tracks inventory, sales data, and even customer interactions. Patty "listens" for specific phrases like "Thank you" and "Welcome to Burger King" to generate a "friendliness score" for each restaurant. While the company claims this is for "coaching" purposes, employees report feeling significant discomfort and unease.

This phenomenon is not confined to the US; it's increasingly visible in Sweden. In ICA's warehouse near Stockholm, AI surveillance has reportedly led to heightened stress and performance pressure among staff. Work and break times are meticulously logged, and employees who fail to meet individual targets face consequences, including potential deductions from their pay. Reports indicate that some employees cry at the end of their shifts due to this intense monitoring.

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She can also warn when you do not live up to the company's service policy.

Despite assurances from management that these systems comply with legal requirements and promote both productivity and well-being, the experiences of employees suggest a growing concern about algorithmic management. The detailed tracking of work activities and the pressure to meet constant performance metrics are creating a stressful work environment, raising questions about the ethical implications of AI in the workplace.

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ICA is confident that we are following the law's requirements and promoting both productivity and employee well-being.