Human Technology Institute Reports Rising AI Workplace Surveillance in Australia
The Human Technology Institute has released a report detailing the increasing use of AI and digital tools to monitor employees across various Australian industries. The findings indicate that surveillance, ranging from keystroke tracking to AI-enabled camera systems, is often implemented without employee awareness. The institute is advocating for legislative changes to the Fair Work Act to mandate fairness tests for monitoring tools and to grant the government authority to ban high-risk surveillance products.
Key points
- Workplace monitoring tools are becoming more common in factories, retail, and office environments.
- A March 2026 poll found that while 43% of Australians know employers use monitoring technology, only 9% are aware of it in their own workplace.
- The Human Technology Institute recommends amending the Fair Work Act to require that surveillance be fair and reasonable.
- The report highlights instances of AI-driven disciplinary actions, including a cashier receiving a warning for a 0.18% error rate.
- The institute is presenting its findings to a joint parliamentary inquiry on artificial intelligence.
What changed
The Human Technology Institute, based at the University of Technology Sydney, has reported an acceleration in workplace surveillance driven by AI and digital monitoring tools. These technologies include CCTV, keystroke tracking, and automated location updates via workplace Wi-Fi, such as those found in Microsoft Teams.
The report documents instances where employees were unaware of the extent of monitoring, including reports of cameras placed in change rooms at a fast-food chain. Additionally, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association reported that a supermarket cashier received a final written warning after an AI system flagged an error rate of 0.18%, or roughly one error per 533 items scanned.
What's next
The Human Technology Institute is presenting its findings to the joint standing committee on artificial intelligence as part of its third week of hearings. The institute is calling for the federal government to address exemptions in the Privacy Act that currently allow for extensive workplace surveillance.
Proposed reforms include an overhaul of the Fair Work Act to introduce a fairness test for monitoring tools and the creation of a dedicated complaints scheme for employees. The institute also suggests that the government should have the power to proscribe specific surveillance products, such as smartglasses, that pose an unacceptable risk to worker rights.
Why it matters
The report highlights a significant gap between employee awareness and the actual prevalence of AI-driven workplace monitoring in Australia. Legislative changes could shift the burden of proof for fairness onto employers, potentially limiting the use of automated disciplinary systems.
What we know
- The Human Technology Institute released a report regarding workplace surveillance in Australia.
- A March 2026 poll indicated that 43% of Australians are aware of employer use of monitoring technology, while 9% are aware of it in their own workplace.
- The report identifies Microsoft Teams as a platform that can automatically update a worker's location based on Wi-Fi connectivity.
- The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association reported a case where a cashier was warned over a 0.18% error rate flagged by an AI system.
What remains unclear
- The effectiveness of the proposed amendments to the Fair Work Act in curbing workplace surveillance remains uncertain.
- The extent to which the federal government will adopt the recommendations to proscribe specific surveillance products is currently unknown.
