Australian employers using AI to track workers without their knowledge, report warns

Australian employers are increasingly using AI and surveillance technology to monitor workers, raising concerns about employee privacy and workplace rights.

According to The Guardian, a new report from the University of Technology Sydney's Human Technology Institute warns that companies are tracking employees through CCTV cameras, keystroke monitoring, office access cards and workplace messaging platforms.

The report highlighted cases including a fast-food chain allegedly using cameras in changing rooms to prevent staff from using their phones.

Another case involved a supermarket cashier receiving a final written warning after an AI system detected an error rate of just 0.18 percent, roughly one mistake every 533 items scanned.

Researchers also raised concerns about Microsoft Teams, which can automatically update employees' office locations when they connect to workplace Wi-Fi.

A March 2026 survey found that only nine percent of Australians knew monitoring was happening in their own workplace.

The institute is calling for stronger workplace privacy laws, including new rules requiring employers to justify surveillance and consult employees.

The report also recommends banning surveillance technologies that pose unacceptable risks to employees' rights.