BackHuman exploitation

Human exploitation

AI Risk Atlas

IBM (2025)

Sub-category

Risk Domain

6.2Increased inequality and decline in employment quality

Social and economic inequalities caused by widespread use of AI, such as by automating jobs, reducing the quality of employment, or producing exploitative dependencies between workers and their employers.

"When workers who train AI models such as ghost workers are not provided with adequate working conditions, fair compensation, and good health care benefits that also include mental health."

Entity: Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent: Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing: Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Supporting Evidence (1)

"Foundation models still depend on human labor to source, manage, and program the data that is used to train the model. Human exploitation for these activities might negatively impact the society and human welfare."