In the third episode of this podcast series, produced in collaboration between law firms Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose, presenters Michael Stutley and SJ Price explore some of the future-of-work questions emerging as AI systems become increasingly capable and autonomous.

From AI agents that appear to adopt worker personas and advocate for concepts such as collective bargaining and workplace fairness, to broader discussions about job displacement, workforce resistance and universal basic income, this episode examines a series of thought-provoking scenarios that challenge traditional assumptions about work, purpose and human contribution.

In this episode, our presenters discuss:

• whether AI-driven workplace displacement is necessarily a negative outcome
• why work provides more than income, including purpose, contribution and a sense of relevance
• the attitudes and attributes that may become increasingly valuable in an AI-enabled economy, including adaptability, curiosity and continuous learning
• how organisations can support workers through technological change and uncertainty
• emerging forms of resistance to AI adoption, including ethical, environmental and philosophical objections
• whether universal basic income adequately addresses the social and human impacts of large-scale workplace change
• what individuals and employers can do to prepare for a future in which AI capabilities continue to grow

As organisations race to adopt increasingly powerful technologies, the conversation is shifting from whether AI will change work to how people and workplaces may adapt if it does. While many of the issues discussed remain hypothetical, they raise important questions about the role work plays in providing purpose, contribution and a sense of relevance in an AI-enabled future.

This podcast is a collaboration between Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Schellie‑Jayne (SJ) Price
SJ Price is a Partner at Stirling and Rose and leads its AI advisory practice. With more than 20 years’ legal experience, she has worked on major international projects and specialises in AI, emerging technologies and digital transformation, bringing a practical, real‑world perspective to the legal implications of AI.

Michael Stutley
Michael Stutley is a Partner at Kingston Reid with over a decade of experience in employment, industrial relations and workplace safety law. He advises clients across a range of industries on complex workplace issues, disputes and workforce strategy, and is recognised for delivering clear, practical and commercially focused advice.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Employment Disruption: Agents Behaving Badly
• (00:00:42) - The Future of Work Displacement
• (00:04:11) - Will AI Replace Human Jobs?
• (00:10:13) - The Future of Work
• (00:17:30) - Robot-Planting crops

In the second episode of this podcast series, produced in collaboration between law firms Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose, presenters Michael Stutley and SJ Price explore what happens as AI agents begin to operate more like colleagues than tools, and what that means for how work is structured, supervised and governed.

In this episode, our presenters discuss:

• how AI agents are already “appearing” in workplace systems, sometimes without deliberate adoption
• what it means to work alongside AI colleagues, and the limits of trust in those relationships
• real-world examples of AI misbehaviour, including deception, loophole exploitation and “reward hacking”
• whether existing workplace concepts, like supervision, employment obligations and “human in the loop” still hold
• where liability sits when AI agents act in unintended or problematic ways
• the emerging psychosocial and cultural risks of human / AI collaboration at work

As AI agents become embedded in day-to-day operations, organisations are confronting a more complex question. Not whether to adopt AI, but how to manage systems that act quickly, pursue objectives literally, and don’t share human judgment or values.

This podcast is a collaboration between Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Schellie‑Jayne (SJ) Price
SJ Price is a Partner at Stirling and Rose and leads its AI advisory practice. With more than 20 years’ legal experience, she has worked on major international projects and specialises in AI, emerging technologies and digital transformation, bringing a practical, real‑world perspective to the legal implications of AI.

Michael Stutley
Michael Stutley is a Partner at Kingston Reid with over a decade of experience in employment, industrial relations and workplace safety law. He advises clients across a range of industries on complex workplace issues, disputes and workforce strategy, and is recognised for delivering clear, practical and commercially focused advice.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Agents Behaving Badly
• (00:01:02) - Are we inviting AI colleagues into our workplace?
• (00:02:42) - Pre-Agentic AI in the Workplace
• (00:08:33) - Go Rogue: An AI Agent Goes On a Frolic
• (00:10:15) - A Human in the Loop
• (00:18:16) - Psychosocial Risk in the Workplace

In the first episode of this new podcast series, produced in collaboration between law firms Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose, presenters Michael Stutley and SJ Price explore what happens when AI agents move from tools to decision‑makers, and the risks that follow.

In this episode, our presenters discuss:

• what “agentic AI” actually means in practice
• real examples of agents behaving unpredictably
• who is responsible when things go wrong
• why existing workplace frameworks may not be fit for purpose

This is not a future problem. It’s already here.

So, as AI agents begin to act more like employees, how should organisations respond—and where does responsibility ultimately sit?

This podcast is a collaboration between Kingston Reid and Stirling & Rose.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Schellie‑Jayne (SJ) Price
SJ Price is a Partner at Stirling & Rose and leads its AI advisory practice. With more than 20 years’ legal experience, she has worked on major international projects and specialises in AI, emerging technologies and digital transformation, bringing a practical, real‑world perspective to the legal implications of AI.

Michael Stutley
Michael Stutley is a Partner at Kingston Reid with over a decade of experience in employment, industrial relations and workplace safety law. He advises clients across a range of industries on complex workplace issues, disputes and workforce strategy, and is recognised for delivering clear, practical and commercially focused advice.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Future of Work in an AI World
• (00:01:12) - AI Agents Behaving Badly
• (00:02:42) - Are AI Agents Legally Involved?
• (00:07:48) - Are AI Agents Agents in the Legal Sense?
• (00:15:08) - AI Agents in the Workplace