Uh-oh, we've just entered the age of AI surveillance at work. I mean, we've all had those little programs on our computers before and probably cameras in the office, but AI is taking it to a whole other level. And I don't know how I feel about it, but we're going to talk about it in today's version of 2 Minutes on Tech by Art and Logic.

Hey yo, Dan, come here. Look at Johnny over there. He's taken five sips of coffee in the past minute. What kind of productivity is that?. It's terrible. He's a bum, I tell you. He's a bum. Who takes five sips of coffee?. He's getting nothing done. Yeah, yeah, call him up to the office. Tell him I want to speak with him. All right, thank you.

I mean, bro, is that where we're headed?. I mean, I guess we're already there. Like I said in the intro, I mean, they've already got cameras and things on our computer. But imagine AI tracking your every move that you make at work, measuring your efficiency, calling you out in real time. That's exactly what Optify's AI software promised, and it sparked a firestorm online.

Now, if you haven't heard about this, Optify is a Y Combinator-backed startup, and they've developed AI cameras that track factory workers in real time. And a demo video showed a supervisor calling out worker 17 for not being productive enough. The response? A massive backlash, and some critics are calling it "sweatshops as a service". Ouch.

And this isn't just about one startup, either. AI surveillance is on the rise in the workplace. From cameras detecting low productivity to AI tracking desk time, companies are using tech to monitor workers like never before. A 2023 Pew study found that most Americans opposed AI-powered workplace tracking, with many employees concerned about this impact on their mental health. And with the rise of autonomous robots, well, I mean, you can see where I'm going with this.

Others argue that AI tracking is just the next evolution in productivity and factories need to run more efficiently. And with the inflation, I mean, don't you want your products to be made more efficiently?. Fair question.

AI efficiency tools are already in use worldwide. But what's the cost?. Okay, investors keep funding these technologies despite the growing concern. The question isn't just if AI will track workers; it's how far will it go. Will AI help create fairer, more efficient workplaces or turn it into a tool for excessive control?

What do you think?. Should AI monitor workers or should we push back against workplace surveillance?. Drop a comment and a follow for more updates on AI and work. This has been 2 Minutes on Tech by Art and Logic.