Technology and Work

Artificial intelligence, digital labour platforms, automation, and algorithmic management are creating new opportunities while raising important questions around workers' rights, social protection, skills, governance, and economic inclusion. In India, NITI Aayog projects that the gig and platform economy will employ over 2.35 crore workers by 2029–30. Globally, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that generative AI could affect approximately 2.3% of global employment, equivalent to around 75 million jobs. Together, these trends underscore the urgent need for rigorous, evidence-based analysis of how technological change is transforming work and how labour governance must evolve in response.

The programme combines interdisciplinary research, expert consultations, stakeholder engagement, and policy analysis to generate evidence and practical recommendations for governments, industry, worker organisations, and civil society. Particular attention is given to emerging regulatory frameworks, including the ILO's Convention No. 193 on Decent Work in the Platform Economy and India's evolving labour policy landscape, to understand their implications for workers, businesses, and governments. Through research outputs, policy convenings, and public engagement, the programme seeks to support anticipatory, inclusive, and worker-centred approaches to technology governance and the future of work.