Welcome to the webpage of Antonio Aloisi’s
Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, “Boss Ex Machina”
Mapping and Understanding the Technological Transformation
of Managerial Prerogatives in Workplaces
Driven by Machines, AI and Algorithms
Today, cyber-physical devices make it possible to implement new practices of organizing, executing, monitoring and evaluating employees’ performance – in each and every industry. These tools determine a “genetic mutation” of prerogatives legitimately exercised by employers, managers, coworkers and clients in workplaces driven by machines, AI and online platforms. Management by algorithms and workforce analytics are salient instantiations of widespread evidence-based human resources models, which can be lumped together under the definition of “boss ex machina”, a modern calque from the intriguing Latin expression “God from the machine”.
This project is an attempt to build a fruitful dialogue between business experts, tech entrepreneurs and lawyers. It is based on an integrated methodology, both descriptive and analytical. This study will map new HRM practices, evaluate their legal compliance, and assess the resilience of the existing normative framework. Hopefully, the results of the research could have broad implications for academia, the tech industry & policymaking. This project aligns with the European Commission approach to AI and robotics, and the multiple initiatives taken by EU institutions in the context of the Pillar of Social Rights aimed at building a sustainable future of work.
