SRS Legal hosts discussion on Artificial Intelligence and Employment Law at the Advocatus Summit

SRS Legal, ECO and Advocatus hosted the talk "Artificially Intelligent Work", dedicated to exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the labour market, recruitment processes and people management.

The session was moderated by Mariana Caldeira de Sarávia, Partner and Head of the Employment and Social Security Department at SRS Legal, and featured Ana Margarida Henriques and Catarina Graça, People and Culture Executive Director and member of the Leadership Team at Claranet Portugal.

Opening the session, Mariana Caldeira de Sarávia highlighted that the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace requires organisations to strike a balance between innovation, efficiency and the protection of workers' rights, framing the discussion around the legal and human challenges posed by these emerging technologies.

Throughout the discussion, the speakers reflected on the increasing integration of AI into organisations, highlighting its potential to automate repetitive tasks and support recruitment processes, while emphasising that human involvement must remain central to decisions affecting employees.

During her intervention, Ana Margarida Henriques stressed that the use of AI systems in the workplace must be accompanied by safeguards to prevent algorithmic discrimination, ensure the protection of personal data and promote transparency in the use of these technologies. The Managing Associate in SRS Legal's Employment and Social Security Department further noted that responsibility for the use of AI rests with employers, underlining the importance of clear internal policies and effective human oversight.

From a business perspective, Catarina Graça explained that AI has significantly accelerated the initial stages of recruitment, from screening applications to transcribing interviews, allowing teams to focus on what she considers truly differentiating: human judgement. "AI has accelerated part of the process and allowed us to bring the human touch to what is essential, critical and decisive," she said, emphasising that the final decision on who joins the organisation remains exclusively human.

The session also highlighted the importance of training and digital literacy within organisations, reinforcing that the adoption of AI solutions must be guided by principles of responsibility, trust and respect for workers' fundamental rights.

The discussion formed part of the programme of the **9th Advocatus Summit**, an initiative promoted by SRS Legal, ECO and Advocatus, bringing together experts from different sectors to reflect on some of the key challenges currently shaping the legal profession and the business environment.