9th Annual Conference of the International Network on Digital Labour (INDL-9)

Geneva

Human labour behind AI: Rethinking artificial intelligence and work in China

Data work and territory: The Latin American experience

The particulars of data work in AI’s supply chain

INDL-9 round table discussion and closing remarks

AI and Development: Opportunities and pathways for developing economies

2026 Annual Forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice

Social justice coalition forum: Opening and first panel

Social justice coalition forum: Second panel and closing

Switzerland

INDL-9 is the ninth annual conference of the International Network on Digital Labour. Under the theme “AI Supply Chains: Building an interdisciplinary research agenda for AI and labour”, the conference explores the people, processes and working conditions underpinning the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.
Bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners, INDL-9 examines the often-invisible human labour behind AI and the implications of AI supply chains for decent work, from data annotation and content moderation to algorithmic management, regulation, responsible sourcing and social dialogue.
The conference aims to advance an interdisciplinary and human-centred research agenda that connects AI development with decent work, international labour standards and workers’ voice.
INDL-9 is jointly organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), DiPLab, ACM SIGCAS and Yale University.

Full conference agenda

INDL-9 conference website

Behind today’s artificial intelligence systems lies a vast and often invisible workforce responsible for generating, annotating and curating the data on which these systems depend.In this keynote, Julian Posada will examine the realities of data work in Latin America, drawing on his research into digital labour platforms and the social and economic inequalities that shape them. The session will explore how AI production relies on human labour, how value is extracted across global digital supply chains, and what this means for workers in regions marked by economic instability and unequal power relations.The keynote forms part of INDL-9, the ninth annual conference of the International Network on Digital Labour, held at the ILO in Geneva under the theme “AI Supply Chains: Building an interdisciplinary research agenda for AI and labour.”<a href="https://indl-9.sciencesconf.org/program?lang=en">Link to the conference agenda</a>

ILO Headquarters

Room II

Artificial intelligence is often imagined as autonomous technology, yet its development continues to depend heavily on human labour.In this keynote, Julie Yujie Chen will examine the emergence of AI data labour in China and the social, technological and economic forces shaping it. Drawing on the Chinese expression “no human labour, no intelligence”, the session will explore how digital labour, industrial development, employment pressures and cultural understandings of work intersect in the growth of AI.The keynote will also consider what the experience of China can contribute to a broader research agenda on AI supply chains and the changing relationship between labour and technology.The session forms part of INDL-9, the ninth annual conference of the International Network on Digital Labour, held at the ILO in Geneva.

Modern artificial intelligence depends on a global workforce carrying out large volumes of data-related tasks, often under challenging and largely invisible working conditions.In this keynote, Alex Taylor will look closely at the particular nature of data work and how human judgements and subjectivities are broken down, organized and incorporated into datasets and AI models.The session will connect these everyday forms of work to the wider political and economic structures underpinning AI supply chains, and consider what new combinations of research and expertise are needed to better understand their implications for workers and society.The keynote forms part of INDL-9, the ninth annual conference of the International Network on Digital Labour, held at the ILO in Geneva.

The final plenary session of INDL-9 will bring the conference to a close with a Round Table Discussion, followed by Closing Remarks.Drawing on the discussions and research presented over the three days of the conference, the session will provide an opportunity to reflect on key issues emerging from INDL-9 and on future directions for research and policy on AI, digital labour and AI supply chains.The Round Table Discussion will take place from 15:15 to 16:15, followed by Closing Remarks from 16:15 to 16:45.

9th Annual Conference of the International Network on Digital Labour (INDL-9)

Upcoming events (11 September 2026)

Full schedule

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Thursday, 10 September 2026

Friday, 11 September 2026