The United Service Union (Verdi) advocates for greater independence from manufacturers in the US and China as part of the broader discussion regarding the development of AI applications. According to Verdi Chairman Frank Werneke, technological independence within Europe is just as crucial as evolving working conditions. He stressed that this independence involves establishing European cloud solutions that neither the US nor the Chinese government could access. For Verdi, European resilience is a vital issue directly related to Artificial Intelligence, reinforcing the necessity of developing homegrown European AI solutions.
Regarding the labor market in Germany, Werneke stated that it is currently impossible to speculate definitively about its future. He noted that many roles and businesses are already experiencing job losses due to the deployment of AI. However, these losses are being balanced by many new positions created by demographic shifts. The central question remains how these factors will ultimately equalize and what the final balance on the job market will be.
The union chief emphasized that AI is changing the reality of work rapidly-potentially at a speed unimaginable even just a few years ago-and that nearly every job is affected by this transformation. He provided examples like jobs in banking, insurance, telecommunications, call centers, and IT companies, where Verdi is witnessing a continuous reduction in employment following the adoption of AI.
Verdi is firmly committed to preventing job cuts that stem from the use of AI. “We need guidelines that mandate that essential decisions are always made by a human and not by the AI, for instance, in human resources,” Werneke told the Funke media group.
Despite the challenges, Verdi also acknowledges the opportunities AI presents. The technology offers potential for tasks that are repetitive, which he described as sometimes the least engaging aspects of a job. While some routines may be replaceable by AI, others can be upgraded, making existing tasks more demanding and valuable.
