One of Europe's largest trade union federations has issued a stark warning to President Emmanuel Macron and the EU institutions: without urgent action, artificial intelligence will be shaped by a handful of tech corporations, to the detriment of workers and democratic societies. In an open letter shared with Euronews Next, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which speaks for 45 million workers across the continent, called on leaders gathering in Paris for the AI Action Summit to confront the concentration of power in AI development.
The letter, delivered to Macron on Monday, argues that any hope of AI delivering "a positive impact on workers in the labour markets, quality jobs, and society will be annulled if AI is monopolised by a handful of tech companies." It goes further, asserting that companies focused solely on "their own power and profit cannot align with European values and the interests of European social partners in protecting workers in Europe."
Demands for regulation and enforcement
The ETUC is not merely raising concerns; it is putting forward concrete demands. The confederation wants governments at the summit to commit to regulating AI in the workplace, to ensure trade unions have a seat at the table in future AI summits and related intergovernmental meetings, and to robustly enforce competition laws, including measures to break up Big Tech. These calls come as the European Union is already working on its own AI Act, but the ETUC argues that more is needed to protect workers from the disruptive effects of generative AI.
The scale of the potential disruption is significant. A 2023 report by Goldman Sachs estimated that generative AI tools could affect 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, leading to "significant disruption" in labour markets. However, the same report and others, such as the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report, also point to the possibility of new job creation. The WEF predicted that automation could displace 85 million jobs by 2025 but create 97 million new ones in the same period. The challenge, as the ETUC sees it, is ensuring that the transition is managed fairly and that workers are not left behind.
Tech leaders themselves acknowledge the potential societal impact. In a blog post on Sunday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote that while technological progress generally improves metrics like health and economic prosperity, "increasing equality does not seem technologically determined and getting this right may require new ideas." He added, "It does seem like the balance of power between capital and labour could easily get messed up, and this may require early intervention."
On the main stage of the summit on Monday, Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union, warned that if workers affected by AI are not involved in the discussions, inequality could reach "an immoral level." She said, "We know from history that an inclusive AI transition is possible but far from guaranteed. According to even modest projections, many millions are likely to be displaced by AI over the next five years. And we can’t sweep those people under the rug or watch them fall through the cracks."
Hoffman stressed the urgency of the moment: "We have important choices to make about the kind of future we want, and time is running out. With the right ground rules, set by people-centred policies and hammered out through social dialogue and bargaining, we can rise together."
The ETUC's letter is a reminder that the AI debate is not just about technological innovation or economic competitiveness; it is fundamentally about the future of work and the social contract in Europe. As the EU negotiates its own AI rules and member states like France push for a more innovation-friendly approach, the unions are insisting that workers' voices must be central to the conversation. The outcome of the Paris summit, and the follow-up actions by the European Commission and national governments, will be closely watched by the 45 million workers the ETUC represents.
For more on how the EU is handling trade tensions with China, see our analysis on the EU's October deadline with China. And for a look at how digital tools are reshaping local economies, read about a Spanish app that lets users trade skills for time.
