Microsoft reached a neutral agreement with AFL-CIO, the largest trade union in the United States: not to prevent workers from joining the union, but to cooperate in AI in the future.

CTOnews.com, December 11 (Reuters)-Microsoft has reached an agreement with the Confederation of Industrial Trade unions (AFL-CIO), the largest trade union organization in the United States, that Microsoft will remain neutral in the process of encouraging workers to join, and the two sides will cooperate on AI in the future.

CTOnews.com Note: the AFL-CIO, made up of 60 unions representing about 12.5 million workers, is influential enough to influence a presidential election.

Microsoft President Brad Smith (Brad Smith) revealed: "the neutral agreement provides a high level of commitment and clarity on how we will work with AFL-CIO and its affiliates if we have employees or even supplier employees who want to form a union."

Liz Schuller, chairman of AFL-CIO, said Microsoft's position was in sharp contrast to other technology companies that actively boycotted the unions. "their position is that if workers want to organize, we should not hinder them," Schuler said. "when workers want to organize, basically every company will fight us."

Mr Smith said it was important for technology companies to "take into account the needs of workers, give them a say and provide feedback that affects the direction of the technology" when designing AI.

Schuller and Smith will hold a joint event on AI and work. Smith said AI's goal is to "increase worker productivity and reduce drudgery at work" and translate these efficiency gains into a higher standard of living.