C-INDL brings to the next level the two-year experience of an informal, yet vibrant network of scholars who research the future of work in cross-disciplinary perspective. It provides a much-needed space to explore and present original research ideas on computer-mediated work, online value production, automation, and tech-enabled outsourcing. By enabling better communication and coordination between interested scholars, beyond disciplinary and national boundaries, we aim to develop a shared conceptual framework to tackle the transformations of labour in the digital economy and their linkages with artificial intelligence (AI). Our ambition is not only theoretical but also applied, contributing to current policy efforts to define the conditions of a credible societal commitment to responsible AI.

Two two-day workshops in Milan and Edinburgh will consolidate the existing collaborations while also demonstrating the added value of extending the network to a wider range of contributors. The Milan workshop, entitled ‘Unboxing AI’, reflects on the linkages between digital labour, algorithmic management, and artificial intelligence, while the Edinburgh workshop, ‘Historicizing the gig-economy’, replaces technology-enabled labour and the platform economy in historical perspective.

To engage junior scholars, each workshop includes a main event with specialists from diverse disciplines (sociology, geography, economics, law, arts and humanities) and a Doctoral Colloquium organized by and for PhD students, allowing them to present and receive feedback on their research projects. For maximum societal impact, the workshops also involve union leaders, policymakers, journalists, and educators, to foster their capacity to negotiate with digital platforms and to equip them with adequate conceptual tools – for which there is a pressing demand at this particular historical juncture.