Unions question use of AI 'accent-changers' for telecom overseas call centres
· Toronto Sun
OTTAWA — Warnings are being sounded over AI technology that’s being used to change the accents of overseas call centre agents.
Last month, a consortium of unions who represent telecom workers — UNIFOR, the United Steelworkers and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) — testified on Parliament Hill in front of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry and Technology to express their concerns, warning how AI-powered voice synthesizers are being used to conceal the accents of overseas call centre workers.
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“We’re aware of at least one big-three telco using AI to mask the accents of offshore agents, altering how customers perceive who they are talking to,” Unifor Telecommunications Director Roch LeBlanc testified before the committee on April 30, declining to name the company.
“Our members have had overseas agents demonstrate the technology on agent-to-agent calls.”
LeBlanc called on Canada to outlaw such deceptive uses of AI.
“The expanding use of AI chatbots may seem to provide a cheap alternative to Canadian labour, but these systems don’t always fulfill their promises,” he said.
“AI is a tool that may enhance a worker’s productivity, but should not be used at the expense of workers and customers. Canadians should know when AI is being used, and have the right to talk to a human based in Canada, regulated by Canadian standards.”
Unions call for rules against deceptive AI tools
In a news release, the three unions said telecom workers in Canada have, for over 100 years, adapted and embraced new technology — but said companies should not be permitted to use AI to only replace Canadian workers, but to deceive Canadian consumers unaware that their call is being handled by overseas workers in Asia.
The Toronto Sun reached out to Rogers, Telus and Bell for comment.
Rogers confirmed it does not use such tools.
Bell likewise confirmed it doesn’t use such AI tools with its call-centre agents.
Telus did not reply as of Wednesday afternoon.
“You can’t have a conversation about AI without it leading to, ‘yeah but it’s going to take away my job.’ A proper AI framework from the government and the accompanying regulations, is important to adopt quickly,” said Corey Mandryk, lead organizer with United Steelworkers National Local 1944, during the meeting.
“Canadians are worried about AI adoption and AI replacing their work.”
The three unions are calling on the government to establish a national framework for AI that not only protects the privacy and data of Canadians, but also Canadian jobs.
“What is our Plan B? We don’t know what pathway AI will take exactly,” CUPE’s Nathalie Blais told committee members.
“If we had to face job losses on a large basis, would the EI system be enough? We don’t know. We need to have a broad based conversation — as of now, all of the advisory committees for the government seem instead to be focusing on science and commercial development rather than on social development.”