Bulgarian Labour Minister addresses AI impact on worker rights

Bulgaria’s Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Natalia Efremova, announced that the ministry is working with social partners to transpose a directive aimed at improving working conditions for platform workers. The initiative seeks to enhance worker protections and guarantee rights under algorithmic management.

Speaking at a national scientific conference at the University of Economics in Varna, Efremova highlighted how artificial intelligence is transforming the labor market, professional requirements, and employer-employee relationships. Citing International Labour Organization data, she noted that one in four workers globally is engaged in a profession with some exposure to generative AI. While AI is expected to automate certain tasks and accelerate others, it is also creating new roles.

Efremova also referenced data from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), which indicates that while workers using AI perform 30% fewer traditional tasks, they work more efficiently and have seen a 40% increase in new types of tasks. This shift raises fundamental questions regarding how much workers should rely on AI and the potential for increased workloads due to new task requirements.