Irish tech workers at Meta and Covalen can turn to unions to help fight AI replacement

Unionisation has helped workers deal with the challenges of automation and industrialisation before.  It'll work better than slick videos and funny protest songs, says Darragh Golden

Covalen workers protest outside Leinster House earlier this month. Photo: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

The IMF is warning that Artificial intelligence (AI) could affect more than 40% of jobs in Ireland. The report, in a worrying tone, notes that Ireland is “relatively more exposed” than other advanced economies to AI-related risks. 

This is down to the fact that the most recent wave of foreign direct investment has been in the tech sector, which is at the coalface of the AI revolution, both in its evolution and in its implementation.