On 8 October 2026, Markéta Švarcová delivered the lecture The Algorithm as the Boss: Who Is Responsible for Work in the Platform Economy? at the Responsible AI workshop, held under the auspices of the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague.
The lecture addressed accountability for algorithmic management and the societal implications of artificial intelligence systems. It examined how algorithms are used to allocate tasks, evaluate work performance and shape working conditions, as well as issues of transparency and regulatory enforceability.
The presentation also addressed the working conditions of so-called clickworkers — digital workers whose often precarious and poorly paid labour is essential to training AI models, preparing data and maintaining AI systems, yet remains largely hidden. The lecture emphasised that AI must be understood within the broader context of the AI supply chain and that responsibility for its impacts cannot be delegated to algorithms themselves. Protecting workers’ rights and broader democratic values requires connecting technological development with social science research and effective regulation.