I had the pleasure to curate the two-day conference “Work in the Time of Algorithms”, as the new edition of Jobless Society Forum (October 19-20, 2023). The event took place at the Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli in Milan, and I served as the scientific director.
The evolving landscape of labor, marked by fluctuating professions, updated skill sets, and shifting employment dynamics, mirrors an untamed territory where rules are either nonexistent or fail to function adequately. As new technologies open doors to uncharted realms, this year’s forum aimed to address pressing questions about the future of work. If economic transformation fails to translate into well-being for all and individuals continue to compromise self-realization for underappreciated temporary jobs, how can we correct the course?
The sixth edition of the Jobless Society Forum invited experts, economists, and policymakers to navigate the complexity of work in the age of algorithms. The focus has been on the physical and virtual dimensions of work, exposing the fragility of contemporary employment and resonating with the demands and rights of the new “click slaves.”
Kicking off on October 19 with the “Occupation Beyond Fragile Work” opening event, featuring keynotes from notable figures like Cristina Tajani and Rosita Rijtano, the forum sets the stage for a comprehensive examination of the evolving world of work. The second day, October 20, unfolds with a series of plenary sessions and thematic workshops. Notable highlights included discussions on the ethics and bias of AI models with Bettina Berendt, examinations of the platform economy and essential workers featuring Janine Berg and Emanuele Leonardi and discussions at the intersection of work and trade unions in digital capitalism with Mark Graham and Ivana Pais. A public session titled “For a Europe Founded on Fair Work” brought together influential voices like Leïla Chaibi, Cinzia Maiolini, and Camilla Gaiaschi. This forum serves as a crucial platform for engaging with the complexities of the algorithmic workplace and shaping the discourse on the future of work.