Artificial intelligence, innovation and the new architecture of exploitation: Towards reconfiguring humanness in the age of algorithmic labour

Abstract

Purpose This conceptual study explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the nature of work and reconfiguring the experience of humanness, particularly among low-skilled and informal workers. Method Using an integrative literature review methodology, the study synthesises interdisciplinary research from organisational studies, sociology, and AI ethics to examine the mechanisms through which AI-driven labour displacement, algorithmic management, and structural precarity contribute to new forms of exploitation. Findings The study develops a novel conceptual framework that links technological transformation to the erosion of the relational, moral, and emotional dimensions of work conditions, resulting in conditions increasingly resembling modern slavery. Originality the study’s novelty lies in its reframing of AI as a socio-technical actor with ontological consequences for worker identity, autonomy, and dignity. The findings underscore the need for ethical AI design, inclusive policy frameworks, and human-centred organisational practices. Practical implications This paper offers practical implications for policymakers, technologists, and business leaders seeking to align innovation with social justice and sustainable labour futures. Plain summary Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the nature of work and disrupting the human experience, especially for low-skilled and informal workers, highlighting the urgency and complexity of this research. AI-driven labour displacement and algorithmic management contribute to new forms of exploitation that echo modern slavery. The erosion of humanness at work is linked to reduced autonomy, empathy, and moral agency under opaque algorithmic systems. A socio-technical framework is needed to address AI’s impact on dignity and agency, with ethical design and inclusive governance at its core. JEL Code O330, O31, O3