Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic management are rapidly transforming urban labor markets in India’s major metropolitan centers such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. This paper critically examines the ethical implications and social consequences of AI-driven gig and platform work on urban laborers, focusing on how algorithmic control disrupts traditional labor relations and community structures. Unlike in many Global North contexts, where regulatory frameworks and social protections seek to mitigate automation’s adverse effects, India’s urban workforce often faces precarious employment conditions, heightened surveillance, and opaque decision-making processes without adequate transparency or worker recourse. Through qualitative case studies and policy analysis, the research reveals how AI algorithms govern workers’ schedules, remuneration, and performance evaluation, often entrenching power imbalances and eroding worker autonomy. This algorithmic governance not only exacerbates labor precarity but also weakens informal community networks that have historically provided social and economic support in Indian urban contexts. Framed within a comparative Global North–South perspective, the paper highlights the uneven adoption of AI technologies and how this disparity perpetuates social inequality and injustice. It argues for urgent ethical reevaluation of AI deployment in labor markets, advocating for governance models grounded in transparency, accountability, and enhanced worker agency. The study underscores the need for community-centered approaches that protect vulnerable urban workers and promote equitable social order amid accelerating technological change. This research contributes to broader debates on AI ethics, labor rights, and the future of work in an increasingly automated global society.
Presenters
Rashi MishraStudent, M.A. in Political Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Artificial Intelligence, Algorithmic Governance, Urban Gig Economy, Labor Ethics, India
