According to a report by British newspaper The Guardian, Co-op Legal Services has introduced an AI system that records and analyses phone calls made by employees providing legal advice. The system assigns scores in percentage form based on conversations involving matters such as wills, inheritance and the management of assets after a person’s death.

An employee, speaking anonymously to The Guardian, said the system created a feeling of constant surveillance. A whistleblower described the technology as oppressive, arguing that it placed employees under scrutiny throughout their working day.

Co-op rejected the criticism, saying its probate advisers were highly engaged in their work.

How AI Is Being Used to Monitor Employees

Employers increasingly use AI tools to assess performance and improve the quality of work. However, critics warn that automated systems may judge employees using limited indicators without fully understanding the circumstances behind their behaviour.

Analysing telephone conversations, tone of voice and other behavioural patterns can make performance assessments more automated, but it also raises questions about whether these systems can accurately interpret every situation.

Similar concerns have emerged in the United States, where some workplaces monitor employees’ movements, breaks and activities during working hours.

Amazon warehouse workers, for example, have complained about monitoring systems that track the time employees spend away from their workstations, including bathroom breaks. Nurses at the Kaiser Permanente hospital network in California have also raised concerns about automated systems assessing their tone of voice during conversations with patients.

In response to such concerns, California has passed laws restricting certain forms of workplace surveillance, including systems that map employees’ movements or attempt to assess their emotional states.

Who Benefits Financially From AI?

Questions about workplace surveillance are part of a wider debate over how the economic benefits of AI are distributed.

A separate Guardian report highlighted gender disparities in the AI industry, including differences in representation, leadership opportunities and pay.

Citing LinkedIn research, the report said the median annual pay for men across various AI-related occupations was around $45,000 higher than for women.

One explanation offered was that men were more likely to secure higher-paying positions. The report also described a female entrepreneur’s experience of pitching a business idea, saying that having her male co-founder speak to investors increased their chances of securing investment.

Kenyan Workers Face Uncertainty Over AI Data Jobs

The impact of AI also extends to workers who help train and improve the technology by preparing and reviewing data.

According to the report, refugees in Kenya are performing remote work for foreign technology companies, including tasks that help AI systems interpret information and carry out specific functions.

Some workers face uncertainty over their earnings because payments are linked to systems that determine whether their work meets required quality standards.

Several workers described the arrangements as unfair but said they had few alternative employment opportunities. They also expressed concern that AI could eventually automate the very tasks on which their livelihoods depend.

Their experiences raise questions about whether workers who contribute to developing AI receive fair compensation and adequate protection as technology companies benefit from their labour.

Balancing AI's Benefits With Its Human Costs

Some technology industry leaders argue that society may have to accept certain negative consequences to benefit from AI’s broader potential.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has said in a podcast that he believes the world may need to accept some bad outcomes in order to obtain the technology’s benefits. His remarks came amid broader discussions about AI’s potential misuse and associated risks.

However, concerns about employee surveillance, gender-based pay differences and the conditions faced by data workers show that AI’s impact extends beyond cybersecurity and technological misuse. It can also affect employment, income, workplace conditions and personal privacy.

While AI may improve productivity and workplace efficiency, its growing use has increased calls for clear surveillance rules, fair compensation, transparency in automated decisions and stronger protections for employees.

Ensuring that the benefits of AI are balanced against its social and human costs remains a key challenge as the technology becomes more widely adopted.