Fabien Hedin, co-founder of Lovable, recently spoke at Anthropic's Code with Claude developer conference held in London on May 19. As a flight attendant, I engage in a highly human-centric role that involves essential customer service skills, such as understanding people quickly, easing passenger anxieties, and diffusing stressful situations. While my position is not likely to face replacement by AI shortly, I am alarmed by Congress' current moves to relax AI regulations, which could jeopardize worker protections—a concern that should resonate with all Alaskans.
In Silicon Valley, tech executives are heralding advancements that can substitute human workers at unprecedented rates. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has indicated that in five years, AI could potentially take over half of all entry-level roles. Meanwhile, OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, suggests that AI could replace up to 40% of human jobs in the not-so-distant future.
Although my job may not be at immediate risk, the evolving AI landscape as envisioned by these leaders will undoubtedly affect the nature of my work. Currently, around 90% of companies are leveraging AI to screen and rank job applications. New AI technologies are also being deployed to assess various aspects of employee performance, customer engagement, and even emotional intelligence.
While these tools haven't yet infiltrated the early morning flights from Fairbanks to Juneau, their rapid development signals that such a future could be imminent. Corporations are racing to implement AI solutions throughout their operations, which could lead to constant surveillance of flight attendants, monitoring our conversations, tone, and the time we spend with each passenger.
For many employees, including myself, this level of scrutiny could significantly degrade job quality and diminish the very essence that makes being a flight attendant rewarding—the human connection.
Alaska has a rich tradition of enacting labor protections, especially in response to swift technological advancements. Even before achieving statehood, during its inaugural legislative session, Alaska’s lawmakers recognized the need for progressive labor reforms, such as establishing an eight-hour workday, prohibiting compulsory company housing, and holding companies accountable for workplace fatalities.
I remain hopeful that legislators in Juneau will once again advocate for the rights of workers during this AI revolution, particularly as tech companies strive to supersede human decision-making with obscure algorithms.
However, there’s a significant hurdle: Congress is currently contemplating federal legislation that would preempt state laws designed to protect workers and communities from the adverse effects of AI. The tech industry is actively lobbying to freeze state regulations and shield Big Tech from the consequences of its innovations. As AI threatens jobs, privacy, and child safety, Silicon Valley is seeking immunity.
Past experiences have taught us that letting Big Tech evade responsibility can lead to dire outcomes. The rise of social media, governed by a "move-fast-and-break-things" ethos, has resulted in widespread dissemination of harmful content and addictiveness among young users.
The future of work in Alaska remains uncertain. While we can speculate about AI's impact on jobs in ports and trucking, and we observe its initial role in hiring processes, the broader implications of this technological transformation are still unknown.
What is clear is that our state lawmakers must retain the ability to establish AI regulations that protect workers, families, and children as new challenges emerge. Alaskans deserve to have a voice in these matters. Efforts by Congress to eliminate state-level AI regulations primarily serve the interests of Silicon Valley, leaving Alaskan workers vulnerable.
As AI increasingly influences Alaska's workplaces, it is vital that workers have a say in shaping this transition rather than merely enduring it. The trajectory of work should not be dictated solely by corporate executives or remote politicians in Washington; it must be a collective decision involving the people it affects.
LeiLauni Scheideman serves as the president of Alaska AFA Council 30, representing flight attendants from Alaska Airlines who are based in Anchorage.
