Tripartite Accountability in AI-Driven Workforce Displacement: A Stakeholder and Legal Perspective

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is restructuring labour markets at a pace that outstrips institutions' capacity to respond, creating a responsibility vacuum in which displaced workers bear the greatest burden of change while retaining the least power to negotiate its terms. This paper examines the allocation of responsibilities for handling AI-driven workforce displacement among employers, workers, and governments, drawing on research from four economies: the United States, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. The Stakeholder and Human Capital Theories are utilised in this paper to analyse the allocation of responsibilities, thereby supporting the central argument that no single actor can adequately address AI-driven displacement alone. The most theoretically grounded and practically viable approach is a tripartite accountability framework in which employers, workers, and governments discharge coordinated, simultaneous obligations. The analysis utilised a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and institutional reports published between 2020 and 2026. Findings show that employers bear proactive obligations that extend beyond legal compliance, as workers are responsible for adapting their skills and engaging in collective advocacy, and that governments must close the gap between the pace of AI adoption and the adequacy of regulatory and labour market policy responses. This paper contributes a structured tripartite accountability framework to the growing literature on AI governance and workforce management, with practical implications for employers, policymakers, and worker organisations that are navigating AI-driven labour market transitions.