Fórsa delegates at its conference in Killarney this morning narrowly voted in favour of a motion tabled by Department of Social Protection staff seeking a de-automation policy as fears were raised about the impact of AI.
The motion said this would protect government service provision to the general public and enhance value for money services for the taxpayer.
It was passed despite being opposed by the union’s national executive committee.
However, public servants are committed to cooperate with the digitatisation of services under the latest public service agreement.
Francis McHugh, who spoke on the de-automation motion, asked delegates if they want the robots to take over their jobs and pay more PRSI for less civil and public services.
He said in-person human-led government services are better value for taxpayers.
“We’re spiralling – headfirst – toward the destruction of humanity,” said delegate Ursula Cox, who spoke on a separate motion on AI tabled by the union’s executive committee.
“Now, depending on which news stories you’ve been reading this week, you might take that comment to be about climate collapse, the increase in armed conflict across the globe or the amount of time we’re all spending on social media.
“In actual fact, it’s none of those things.”
She said Artificial Intelligence – or AI – has been likened to nuclear war and global pandemics in its capacity for harm, and those comparisons aren’t being made by conspiracy theorists or technophobes.
“Much as Robert Oppenheimer agonised about his own destructive creation, the architects of AI have warned us that it could threaten our existence,” she said.
“Others have been less fatalistic, but are, nevertheless, warning governments that regulation of this technology is absolutely necessary.”
The motion, which was passed, directed the national executive committee to prepare for the changes to the world of work brought about by AI.
Ms Cox said many members are already engaged in the world of AI, from management information systems and the use of customer service chatbots, to Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa in their everyday lives.
“We apply ethical principles in our working lives, and this is where AI poses a challenge. We need to ensure that when developing AI systems, ethical principles are applied and adhered to, in order to safeguard society.”
She said there are concerns in relation to the impact of AI on the labour market and jobs being destroyed by automation, mentioning IMF research this year that indicated that 40pc of jobs globally, will be affected by AI.
One delegate said that AI is often worse than useless and gives people the wrong information.
Another asked if delegates remembered a grade of typist in the public service that no longer exists because of the introduction of computers.
He said their jobs had become defunct and any change in technology will result in jobs being eroded. The delegate said he was at a loss why a member of the NEC wants to oppose the protection of workers by seeking the de-automation of services.
However, the NEC opposed the motion on the basis that public servants are committed to cooperate with digitalisation under government agreements.