These platforms exercise significant influence over gig workers, but their for-profit nature means that their boards and directors often prioritize shareholder value over gig worker protection. This tension has led to intense debates, as platforms attempt to minimize the rights and benefits they provide to gig workers. Yet, recent legal developments from the European Union—specifically, the European Union’s Platform Workers’ Directive, AI Act, and Framework Convention on AI—signal the beginning of a global legal and policy shift towards protecting gig workers and regulating AI use.

This Article examines the intricate interplay among algorithmic discrimination, corporate governance, and growing global legal scrutiny to protect gig workers and govern AI. This emerging legal and regulatory framework from the European Union has the potential to align platforms’ incentives with gig workers’ rights. Finally, this Article offers policy recommendations and actionable organizational changes for platforms to navigate this evolving legal landscape.

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