On Tuesday, February 25, during a working visit to Almaty, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK) Satybaldy Dauletalin took part in the session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) titled “Not Only AI: Harnessing New Technologies to Promote Decent Work and Social Justice”. The event was organized for ILO staff and national coordinators from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The session was chaired by Beate Andrees, ILO Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, and included FTURK’s social partners such as Akmadi Sarbasov, First Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan, and Zhumabek Zhanykulov, representative of the Confederation of Employers “Paryz”.
As noted by Mikhail Pushkin, Director of the ILO Moscow Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, this was the first time the ILO integrated social partners of an individual country—Kazakhstan—into internal discussions.
Participants engaged in discussions evaluating the disruptive potential of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum science, for the future of education and, more broadly, the labor sector, using Kazakhstan as a case study.
Social partners shared their perspectives on possible scenarios related to the impact of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies on labor and social life in the country.
Akmadi Sarbasov spoke about government efforts to transition public services to digital platforms. According to him, 90% of all public services in Kazakhstan have already been digitalized.
“The social project ‘Digital Family Map’ has been introduced and is being developed. It allows for categorizing Kazakhstani families by their needs. In addition, a draft law on artificial intelligence has been prepared and will soon be submitted to Parliament,” stated Sarbasov.
FTURK Chairman Satybaldy Dauletalin drew attention to both the benefits and risks that may arise in the labor sphere with the integration of AI and quantum technologies into work processes.
“Overall, we can conclude that breakthrough technologies and the cybernetic revolution will introduce many smart and self-regulating systems into our lives, which can significantly boost our economy. This opens enormous opportunities for saving skilled labor and resources,” said Dauletalin.
However, the trade union leader noted that there are physical, technological, and social challenges on the path to implementing these technologies. Moreover, there is a risk of violating fundamental human rights, exerting total control over people’s behavior and consumption. Society must find effective ways to control the growing faceless and anonymous technological power that can suppress freedom, initiative, and human potential.
In response to a question on how to achieve a favorable scenario for technological development, Dauletalin emphasized the importance of forecasting negative consequences and developing political and legal mechanisms for integrating AI into social life.
“These processes are transforming society as a whole, and the labor sector in particular. And there are a number of risks. AI algorithms may reflect developers’ biases, leading to incorrect or discriminatory decisions. Special attention must be paid to developing ethical standards to prevent harmful societal impacts. Another risk: automation through AI could lead to job losses in some industries, raising questions of social justice and the need to create new employment opportunities for those displaced by automation. According to ILO data, over 40% of the global population works in positions that may change or disappear due to the influence of AI. A further risk involves loss of data security and privacy—systems could be targeted by hackers, and unauthorized access to large volumes of personal data could have serious consequences. Additionally, AI development and implementation may exacerbate social inequality. Those with access to advanced technologies will benefit, while others may be left behind, widening societal gaps. Despite its power, AI remains limited in its contextual understanding, which can lead to errors due to incomplete data,” Dauletalin warned.
To address these foreseeable risks, the FTURK Chairman outlined several priority tasks:
“These include developing ethical standards, training the population in skills needed in the new labor market, strengthening cybersecurity, adopting strict regulations on AI use, creating social support programs for those losing jobs to automation, and ensuring transparency in AI decision-making so users understand how decisions are made,” he stressed to international experts and social partners.
Regarding the risks to workers from AI in production processes, Dauletalin highlighted the need for concrete labor protection measures.
“It is crucial that states begin forming legal, economic, and social strategies to stabilize labor relations amid these emerging challenges. Labor law must prevent employers from unilaterally replacing workers with AI systems by requiring approval from workers’ representative bodies. Legislative restrictions must be introduced to prevent employers from laying off workers due to AI without offering retraining or assistance with new employment; and from creating new jobs involving service robots without the consent of the labor collective. Our position is clear and firm: breakthrough technologies—especially artificial intelligence—must be used under human control and for the benefit of the worker, in the context of today’s digitalized global society,” concluded Satybaldy Dauletalin.
Wrapping up the thematic session with Kazakhstan’s social partners, Beate Andrees emphasized that all perspectives shared would be taken into account in formulating the ILO’s recommendations on AI integration into the social and labor sphere.
FTURK Media Center