Nurses Protest HCA Healthcare's Palantir Artificial Intelligence System
National Nurses United members held a rally in Asheville against the use of Palantir artificial intelligence technology in hospital shift scheduling.
Nurses belonging to National Nurses United gathered in Asheville to protest HCA Healthcare's use of the Palantir artificial intelligence system for shift scheduling.
Demonstration Held at Pack Square
Gathering on Thursday at Pack Square in downtown Asheville, nurses demanded that the healthcare institution immediately end its use of artificial intelligence.
The protest in Asheville, one of eight different actions carried out nationwide by National Nurses United, saw high turnout.
Concerns Over Artificial Intelligence and Shift Scheduling
Union members participating in the protest criticized hospital shift schedules being determined by an artificial intelligence system called Palantir instead of local staff.
Head nurse representative Hannah Drummond stated that the artificial intelligence program in question has led to serious problems in hospital staffing and nurse distribution.
Privacy and Patient Care Concerns
Nurses participating in the action stated that this technology undermines privacy and directly impacts the quality of patient care in a negative way.
Additionally, activists pointed out that the same technology had been used in the past by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies to identify individuals targeted for deportation.