The UFCW International issued a statement in response to the White House “Artificial Intelligence for American Industry” summit on May 10, which brought together American business leaders to talk about artificial intelligence (AI). Senior government officials, heads of industrial research labs, and technical experts from academic institutions also attended the summit.
Perrone’s statement reads as follows:
“The threat of joblessness due to increased automation is massive and it is beyond time we all came together to discuss solutions.
“To most companies, the desire to automate jobs is not about increasing productivity or improving the service experience; it’s about maximizing profit by eliminating labor costs.
“A strong and functioning society does not exist unless there are jobs for people to earn a living, support a family and build a better life.
“We hope today’s summit is a start towards harnessing technology so that it creates better jobs and an economy that enriches us all, rather than a chosen few.”