Digital revolution: Artificial intelligence is changing our working world!

Digital revolution: Artificial intelligence is changing our working world!

Advancing digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) not only result in fundamental changes in technology, but also have profound effects on the world of work. Lecture events will be organized at Saarland University in the winter semester of 2025/26 to shed more light on these challenges. The Science and Working World Cooperation Center has scheduled a total of four lectures on the topic, which will be aimed at a broad public. The goal is to develop solutions to the new challenges affecting company management, employees and stakeholders. The series begins on October 15, 2025 with a lecture by Professor Peter Loos from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) on the topic “What is artificial intelligence and what are its connections to the world of work?” The events take place in the university's DFKI building and are accessible free of charge.

The lecture series covers several topics that deal with the different facets of AI in the world of work. Marc Justin Schmidt's lecture on November 5th will address the effects of AI on wages and employment. Just a week later, on November 12th, Professor Tobias Kämpf will give a lecture on sustainable change through AI. The series will be rounded off on November 19th with a discussion on trade union challenges in the age of AI.

Challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence

Advances in artificial intelligence are important drivers of change in the labor market. As the Federal Agency for Civic Education reports, these developments not only lead to changes in job profiles, but also change the way work processes are designed. This means that employees have to be qualified for new technologies, which in turn creates new challenges for works and staff councils as well as trade unions. The lectures at Saarland University are therefore intended to serve as a platform to discuss these topics and develop solutions.

A central focus is on how AI influences the automation and networking of workplaces. These developments not only have the potential to replace existing activities, but also open up new forms of cooperation and fields of activity. AI is already being used particularly in areas such as data processing, customer service and human resources work. Companies such as the professional association ETEM and Lufthansa subsidiary CityLine practice the use of AI to optimize internal processes. However, there are also concerns about job losses, caught between hopes for new jobs and fears of a decline in existing jobs.

Regulatory needs and impacts on employment

The influence of AI on the labor market is currently still limited because only a small number of companies in Germany are acquiring AI. A 2020 study shows that only 6% of companies used AI technologies. This contrasts with predictions that up to 300 million full-time jobs in the US and Europe could be at risk from AI. Regulation could therefore be necessary to both optimize opportunities and minimize risks. In June 2023, the EU Parliament passed an AI law that defines different risk levels of AI.

The future design of work will depend heavily on the type of AI technologies used. Possible uses range from cognitive assistance systems that complement human work to automation that can take on simple repetitive tasks.

In order to best master the challenges presented by AI, both employees and companies must actively participate in further development. In addition to the ongoing training of employees, this also requires a reconsidered understanding of occupational health and safety criteria in order to take changes in working conditions into account.

Those interested can contact the Saarland University Cooperation Office for the lecture series. If you have any questions, Ms. Nentwig is available on 0681 302-4802.

Find out more about the Saarland University series of events here, about the general impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market here and the specific challenges and opportunities that AI brings to work design, here.