In February, Amazon worker April Watson suffered a concussion and was medically advised to slow her pace. Despite doctor’s notes, her workplace adjustments were delayed over a month due to reliance on AI assistants instead of direct HR contact, leading to reprimands for both errors and her slower pace. A worker survey by advocacy group United for Respect showed 60% worry about job loss to AI, with 62% especially concerned about HR decisions increasingly managed by automated systems. Both Amazon and Walmart are integrating AI into operations and HR, with workers feeling reduced human interaction and increased pressures, including unrealistic work timelines and inadequate training. Activists are pushing for transparency on these AI applications and protections against automated decisions that affect workers’ futures.
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