AI, Leaders and Managers: Europe Debates the Future of Work in Malta

“If AI recommends a decision, who is ultimately responsible for it? As managers increasingly rely on algorithms, how can they preserve their ability to question, exercise judgement and make decisions? And if AI boosts productivity, how should the benefits be shared?”

These are some of the key questions that CEC European Managers President Maxime Legrand will raise with around 100 participants at the AI MANAGE Conference in Malta on 5–6 November, bringing together European social partners, business leaders, policymakers and researchers to discuss the future of AI-driven management and leadership.

CEC European Managers is leading AI MANAGE, an EU-funded initiative aimed at developing evidence-based approaches to the responsible integration of AI in the workplace, while equipping leaders and managers across Europe with the skills and practical tools to harness AI’s potential and manage its impact on people and organisations.

AI MANAGE will bring together representatives of the European Commission, social partners, researchers and business leaders in Malta on 5–6 November 2026 to discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence on management, workplace organization and leadership.

The conference, “Leadership and the Responsible Use of Algorithmic Management and AI: A Working Conference for EU Leaders”, will take place at the Hilton Malta as part of AI MANAGE, a European Commission co-funded initiative coordinated by CEC European Managers.

The two-day program will examine how AI is changing managerial responsibilities, organisational decision-making and relations between managers and employees.

EU policy and the introduction of AI in the workplace

The implementation of the EU AI Act, the introduction of algorithmic management in companies, or the human oversight and the contribution of social dialogue to responsible AI practices will be discussed in Malta.

CEC European Managers President Maxime Legrand, will open the conference with a clear message: "responsible AI at work cannot be designed by technology providers alone. Nor by management alone."

The EU project expert Andreas Bücker will introduce AI MANAGE and the cooperation between the participating social partners, including CEC European Managers member organisations CFE-CGC from France and Lederne from Denmark, as well as their employer counterparts, U2P and Dansk Erhverv.

Roxana Gheorghiu, Legal Officer at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, will contribute to the opening session.

Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Parliament's work on AI Act implementation, will address the implementation of the EU AI Act in the workplace through a video intervention.

The participation of European institutional representatives will connect the conference discussions with ongoing policy debates on AI regulation, employment and working conditions.

European companies share their experience with AI

One of the most interesting contributions will the practical examples coming from companies.

Representatives of KBC Bank, Dansk Erhverv, SECAFI, Electrolux Group, Plesner and MyTraffic will contribute their experience of technological change and its implications for management.

Peter van Hees, from KBC Bank, will explore the direction of AI development and its impact on people and organisations.

Kasper Lynge Jacobsen, from Dansk Erhverv, will examine the challenges facing leaders when introducing AI.

The programme will also feature a keynote by Dr. Marie-Victoire Chopin, from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, entitled “AI and the Sovereign Mind of Leaders”, addressing the relationship between Artificial Intelligence, human judgement and leadership.

Presentations from SECAFI, Electrolux Group, the Danish law firm Plesner and MyTraffic will bring further examples of how organisations are approaching the use of AI, including its application in smaller enterprises.

European social partners discuss the leadership challenges of AI

Social dialogue will feature prominently throughout the conference.

The first panel discussion, “The Introduction of AI in Companies – The Leadership Challenge Between Social Partners”, will be moderated by CEC Secretary General Torkild Justesen.

The discussion will consider the responsibilities of employers and managers when introducing AI systems, including their implications for work organisation, employees and management practices.

Participants will include Maxime Legrand (CEC), Kasper Lynge Jacobsen (Dansk Erhverv), Audrey Gourraud (U2P) and Mathias Askholm (Lederne Denmark).

The second day of the conference, 6 November, CEC President Maxime Legrand will moderate a second panel, “The AI in Leadership”, bringing together Mads Juul Jørgensen (DSB), Hanne Fagerlund (Ledarna Sweden), Nicola Caione (Bank of Italy) and Amaury Laurenson (U2P).

Many panelists also participated in the latest Workshop in Copenhagen and serve on the AI MANAGE Steering Committee.

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Research supporting responsible AI management

The conference will present the academic work undertaken by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) within AI MANAGE.

Marie Klotz, researcher at TUM, will introduce the project's literature study and longitudinal field study, which will examine how managers use AI and the challenges encountered in organisational decision-making and interactions with employees.

The research will inform the development of practical resources for European managers, including cross-sectoral guidelines, an AI Management Toolbox and dedicated training materials.

Our vision: Managers should get involve

CEC European Managers advocates for the active involvement of managers in decisions concerning the introduction of AI at work.

Their responsibilities for organisational performance, employees' working conditions and the implementation of new technologies place them at the centre of this transformation.

The conference will help develop common approaches that support innovation, respect workers' rights, and preserve meaningful human oversight in European workplaces.

About AI MANAGE

AI MANAGE is a European social partner project coordinated by CEC European Managers and co-funded by the European Commission.

It brings together managers' and employers' organisations from Denmark and France to develop research-based guidelines, practical tools and training resources for responsible AI and algorithmic management.

Conference: 5–6 November 2026, Hilton Malta, St. Julian's.

Further information: ai-cec-managers.eu

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