AI, regulation, and the world of work: the competing approaches of the US and China

AITs are increasingly prevalent in the world of work. Consequently, governments face mounting pressure to combat the risks they pose for workers. This chapter critically reviews and compares steps taken by the United States and China to regulate AITs, and their potential impact on workers. These globally influential countries are pursuing starkly divergent approaches to AIT regulation, which portends different benefits and opportunities for workers. The United States has, thus far, adopted a laissez-faire regulatory stance that prioritises a limited commitment to preventing discrimination by AITs along legally protected characteristics. Conversely, China is committed to a more aggressive regulatory intervention that includes cultivating new worker rights and improving worker voice – although the practical implications of these efforts remain ambiguous.