AI must remain our servant and not become the master’ – MP gives speech

As both technological advancement and precarious employment grow, the call from a high-level policy event in Westminster last week was clear: the rights of gig workers must keep pace.

A roundtable hosted by IOSH at the Houses of Parliament titled ‘Protecting gig workers in the age of AI’, brought together MPs, industry experts, academics, and worker representatives to spotlight the urgent need for improved rights, protections and working conditions in the gig economy.

Chaired by Lee Barron, MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, on behalf of sponsor Antonia Bance MP of the Business and Trade Committee, the event followed the launch of IOSH’s latest report, ‘A Platform for Success: Building a Better Future in the Gig Economy’. It was held against the backdrop of growing concerns around algorithmic management, the erosion of worker autonomy, and the risks AI poses to job security and wellbeing.

Many of these workers fall between definitions, missing out on essential protections, including a safe and healthy work environment

‘Security, dignity and a route out of poverty should remain the fundamentals of work,’ said Lee. ‘We can’t allow the algorithms to trap people into something less empowering. The world of work has to work for working people.’

The expert panel – featuring voices from IOSH, the TUC, CIPD, RoSPA, LSE, and the University of Cambridge – explored how gig workers are often left in limbo between employee and self-employed status, denying them basic protections like sick pay, job security and fair treatment. A key theme was the increasing scale of the gig economy, which is forecast to grow by 300% by 2027, according to IOSH and ARUP’s ‘Towards a Safe and Healthy Future of Work’ report.

A survey commissioned by IOSH and carried out by Opinium revealed that:

• 58% of gig workers reported unpredictable income;
• 58% struggled to care for dependants;
• 63% found it hard to take holidays;
• 54% said they faced low job security.

Speakers including Dr Aaron Cheng (LSE), James Farrar (Worker Info Exchange), and Ruth Wilkinson (IOSH head of policy) underscored the urgent need for regulatory clarity, fair digital governance, trade union access, and protections from physical and mental health risks, including work intensification and road safety threats.