AI dystopia is already here: JPMorgan Chase accused of using AI to monitor workers

A warning to anyone working at JPMorgan Chase or considering working there.

If you work for JPMorgan Chase & Co., or are thinking of working for JPMC, you need to know about the company’s employee monitoring tool called WADU. WADU is an acronym for Workforce Activity Data Utility. All JPMC employees have a profile in the WADU database.

I think everyone expects their employer to track them to some degree. It is very standard practice for employers to monitor things like swipes of building badges and time spent connecting when working from home and perform analytics. It has also become very common for employers to record audio and video in their offices.

WADU is on a different level. It is an artificial intelligence and machine learning system for human behavior of employees. From the moment you arrive at the building, WADU tracks you using facial and voice recognition. Most of JPMC’s offices and branches are equipped with some of the best HD AV security cameras.

Keep in mind that the HD camera is always following you whenever you are at your desk. WADU monitors your non-verbal body language throughout the day using a series of HD cameras in your office. The collected information is fed into the AI/ML system and used to update the WADU profile in real time.

All managers have access to a dashboard that lists all metrics for their subordinates. Employee productivity metrics begin to update as soon as the employee logs into the system. When an employee is in the office, two biometrics are available for her: attention/focus and stress.

Biometric feeds are updated from face and behavioral tracking. Having a bad day? Are you feeling stressed? WADU already noticed this and alerted the manager. can’t concentrate? Are you working at your usual pace? WADU already noticed this and alerted the manager. Did you do something you wouldn’t normally do? WADU may have flagged it as suspicious and alerted the manager.

WADU is also why they are pushing hard for RTO or “back to the office”. Upper management doesn’t care if some employees are more productive while working from home. They want everyone back in the office as soon as possible to refine their WADU profile. Having more insight into you is more important to them than the increased productivity of working from home.

Today, many teams are expected to work 2-3 days a week. Directors and above are required to work 4-5 days a week. Upper management wants everyone at every level back in his office five days a week. They have invested millions in his WADU system and want to profit from that investment. It only happens when people are in the office as much as possible.

WADU is always watching and listening while you work from home. If you installed her Citrix Workplace on her computer and allowed her Citrix to access her webcam and microphone after logging in, those devices are connected to her WADU. If you’re using a published Chromebook, these permissions are already accepted.

You can see the webcam blinking right after login. This is not an “initial connection” flash. Your his webcam took a burst of photos and sent them to WADU. Photos are scanned for anything deemed unprofessional or unsafe. Recreational drug paraphernalia, televisions, game consoles, and a few other things are all flagged if detected in a photo. If your webcam flashes randomly, it means your manager or security officer is requesting burst shots of photos from her webcam.

You’ll also notice that the mic gets hot right after you log in. Everything you say is processed by WADU. All background noise is handled by WADU. Did you say something bad about your boss or another boss? WADU flagged it. Did you say something bad about another colleague? WADU flagged it. Ever felt angry or frustrated? WADU flagged it. These are just a few examples, WADU is trained to detect a wide variety of keywords, phrases and audio events. Managers can also connect to your audio feed and listen live.

WADU can also detect poker/bumpers on keyboards and jigglers/movers on mice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a completely external solution. WADU can detect it by analyzing repetitive input patterns. Your boss is notified that you are suspected of faking your productivity. They will then connect to your session to see what’s going on live. If suspicions are confirmed, action will be taken.

WADU determines productivity by analyzing various metrics about session input. This includes words typed, mouse clicks, application activity, and more. This analysis also determines whether someone is a special contributor or a regular employee. Unique contributors always rank higher than regular employees in the overall ranking. The same analysis can also determine who is dead weight in nature. These guys are the lowest ranked.

At some point, you may have noticed that job postings started being sent to your personal email. Clicking on any of the links in these job listing emails will notify your boss on her WADU profile that you are actively looking for a new job. Even if it’s just browsing, it can have a negative impact on the employee who clicks on the link.

If you have installed the JPMC workplace app on your mobile phone, your mobile phone is connected to WADU. The work mobile app collects various information from his phone and uses it to update and adjust his WADU profile. At the moment, the only way to reserve an office desk is through the Workplace app. The web version of the desk booking system is still “coming soon” and will ask you to install an app on your phone. It will probably be “soon” even in 2040.

Executives are pushing the argument that all this oversight is necessary to protect companies from insider threats. That may be partly correct, but the main reason is to train and improve his AI/ML system. They want every employee profile to be as accurate and detailed as possible.

They say you shouldn’t use what’s in an employee’s WADU profile to make hiring decisions. It’s kind of hard to ignore a list of subordinates ranked using productivity forecasts.

Here are some ways to minimize invasion of privacy while working at JPMC:

• Cover your webcam and mute your microphone unless you’re using Zoom.
• Most modern laptops have multiple webcams and microphones, so make sure you’re aware of all potential recording devices on your computer.
• Use your own desktop or laptop at home instead of your provided Chromebook
• Do not allow Citrix Workplace to access your webcam or microphone
• Use Zoom outside of Citrix when you’re at home
• Consider getting a phone number for work purposes only
• Do not install the JPMC Workplace App on your personal mobile phone
• If you want the work app, factory reset your old phone and install it on that phone
• Know that there are no blind spots. I’m always on camera in the office.
• Know that privacy does not exist.All conversations are recorded anywhere in the office
• Know that everything you do in the office affects your WADU profile and ranking
• We recommend that you print a copy of all performance reviews at home.