Artificial intelligence (AI) has "invaded" all areas of citizens' daily lives for good, affecting the way they work, communicate and make decisions. Algorithms are now an integral part of modern life, especially in the work landscape, where AI shapes roles, skills, and work practices, accelerating pace and raising, at the same time, questions about employment security and the protection of personal data, making it imperative to adopt strong safeguards in the use of artificial intelligence.
This is the direction of the European Parliament, which voted on Wednesday 17 December, with 451 votes in favour, 45 against and 153 abstentions, its legislative report on AI in the workplace and called on the European Commission to regulate the use of algorithmic management in the workplace in the EU. In short, MEPs made it clear that recruitment should not be based solely on decisions made by an algorithm, employees should have the right to be informed about the type of data collected and called for a ban on the processing of data related to emotional state, private conversations, as well as data outside working hours.
What MEPs are calling for
In the report, MEPs put forward a number of recommendations for new European legislation to ensure the transparent, fair and safe use of automated monitoring and decision-making systems in the workplace. They recognize that the use of algorithmic management systems can provide opportunities for work optimization, however, they wish to ensure human oversight, the protection of workers' fundamental rights, and the protection of their personal data.
At the same time, they prioritize a human-centered adoption of technology, emphasizing that there must be human oversight of all decisions made or supported by algorithmic systems. Employees should have the right to ask for explanations about decisions taken or supported by algorithmic management, and in case they consider that their rights have been violated due to a decision taken through such a system, then they should have the right to review. At the same time, in such cases it should be possible to modify or discontinue the system concerned. MEPs want decisions on the start or end of employment, the renewal or non-renewal of a contract, changes in remuneration or disciplinary measures to always be taken by a human being and subject to human control.
In addition, they recommend that employees be informed about how these systems affect working conditions when they are used to make automated decisions, the type of data they collect or process, and how human oversight is ensured. Workers should be consulted when algorithmic management systems are used to make decisions affecting remuneration, evaluation, task allocation or working time, and the use of such systems should respect workers' right to well-being and should not endanger their safety or physical or mental health.
To protect workers' privacy and data, the rules proposed by MEPs will prohibit the processing of data related to their emotional, psychological or neurological state, their private communications, geolocation outside working hours, the use of their data outside of duty and the use of data related to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
CEOs are also worried
However, according to a previous report by "F", a KPMG survey for 2025 based on more than 1,300 CEOs worldwide, showed that business leaders are strategically focusing their investments on AI, talent and strengthening resilience in the face of risks to support and fuel future growth. 71% say AI is a top investment priority for 2026, while 69% plan to invest 10-20% of their budget in AI in the next 12 months. However, the accelerated global adoption of AI poses new challenges at the management level.
However, CEOs raised concerns about ethical implications (59%), data adequacy (52%), and lack of regulation (50%), highlighting the shared belief that a robust governance framework is critical to AI's sustainable success. At the same time, leaders are prioritizing a human-centered adoption of technology. While there are concerns about job losses due to AI, 61% of CEOs say they are actively hiring new talent with AI and technology skills, 70% are concerned about competition in AI talent, and 77% identify workforce upskilling as a key challenge.
What are the next steps
Based on the above, the European Parliament is attempting to strengthen workers' rights, emphasizing digital security. The European Commission has three months to respond to Parliament's request, either by submitting a proposal with the measures it intends to take or by justifying any refusal. The issue is being examined, while at the European Union level there is already a relevant regulatory framework for artificial intelligence and the protection of personal data, through the Artificial Intelligence Act and the General Data Protection Regulation.
