Vole has been showing off its Microsoft Workplace Monitoring where CCTV cameras watch a workplace -- like a construction site -- on 24/7 basis, and AI algorithms constantly oversee and evaluate what is happening.

The system can track where employees are, where physical equipment and tools are at what time, who does what at what time in this workplace and apparently use Cloud-based AI of some sort to evaluate what is happening in the workplace being monitored.

Spotting employees misbehaving, breaking workplace rules or putting themselves and expensive equipment at risk may be the intended "value proposition" this system brings to the workplace.

If last night’s Dr Who is to believed capitalist companies might also want to cut off your air supply if you perform poorly.

Microsoft hints that the move might help reduce insurance premiums by creating a strict, highly monitored work environment. But it is the sort of Big Brother that George Orwell would not have dreamed of – an AI is monitoring people and equipment in a workplace in realtime at all times, and all the data ends up being processed in the Microsoft Cloud.