The ethical implications of adopting AI must be taken into account by organisations, given the number of opportunities for employees to engage. A critical consideration is the balancing of privacy and surveillance in AI monitoring systems. In the use of AI and employee analytics, organisations need to ensure transparency and credibility to mitigate bias and guarantee fair treatment. In addition, the creation of AI systems that foster employee trust and collaboration is essential for maintaining a sound relationship between people and computers. Navigating ethics issues and considering the future direction of artificial intelligence at work is essential, as organisations adopt AI to engage their staff (Budhwar et al. in Int J Hum Resour Manage 33(6):1065–1097, 2022 [1]).