Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced the Workforce of the Future Act, legislation that would require the Department of Labor (DOL), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Education (ED) to conduct a study on the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on job outlooks across sectors. This bill would also create a $250 million grant program to prepare students, teachers, and workers for the emerging and advanced technology jobs of the future.
Major concerns have been raised over the impact AI will have on the job market, particularly in the manufacturing, automobile, and entertainment industries. Throughout 2023, writers, musicians, and other entertainment industry workers held strikes in an attempt to prevent AI from supplanting their jobs. Initial studies estimate that more than 60,000 jobs in the California entertainment industry alone will be disrupted by AI by 2026.
The impact of AI may not be felt equally across communities. Congress must take robust action to prepare young people for advanced technological jobs and address the access gap that currently exists for women, Black, and Hispanic individuals in technology-related fields.
“Emerging technologies have the potential to significantly change the reality of work. We must continue to understand those impacts, ensuring that we adequately prepare America’s workers to thrive in the evolving job market,” said Senator Butler. “The purpose of this legislation is to solidify our commitment to today’s – as well as tomorrow’s – workers, preparing them to work in tandem with AI and to be ready for the jobs of the future.”
“As advancements in AI rapidly increase, so do concerns regarding the potential effects of this technology on our workforce,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation will help protect American workers by identifying the impacts AI has on jobs, and investing in education and workforce development to better prepare our students, educators, and workers for the future.”
The Workforce of the Future Act would require the DOL, NSF, and ED to conduct a study identifying what jobs will be highly impacted by the continued advancement of AI, with a particular focus on how these changes will affect diverse demographic groups.
Additionally, the legislation would authorize $250 million in grant funding for labor organizations and state, local, and tribal entities that manage education and workforce development programming to better prepare today’s students, teachers, and workers for tomorrow’s workforce. Specifically, the funding would be administered by the Labor and Education Departments and distributed as follows:
- $80,000,000 for the creation of K-12 educational programming utilizing emerging technology to foster interest in and increase exposure to science, technology, engineering, art, and math;
- $80,000,000 for initiatives to increase the development and recruitment of emerging and advanced technology teachers; and
- $90,000,000 for workforce development, upskilling, and lifelong learning programs specifically targeted towards workers in industries or occupations that are projected to see worker displacement as a result of AI adoption.
“SAG-AFTRA commends Senator Butler for ensuring developments in artificial intelligence work for working people. The Senator’s legislation makes training programs available to workers facing AI developments in their workplace and helps workers leverage AI to augment and enhance what they do. Workers need the skills necessary to adapt and thrive with new technology and to find new opportunities as technology rapidly evolves. This bill provides the tools workers need for a world of AI advancement,” said Jeffery Bennett, General Counsel of SAG-AFTRA.
“Microsoft applauds Senator Butler’s introduction of the Workforce of the Future Act, which will help further the understanding of the impact and opportunities of AI on workers while also supporting new and innovative AI literacy and skilling initiatives across our nation,” said Fred Humphries, Corporate Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs for Microsoft.
“AFGE is proud to endorse Senator Butler’s forward-thinking Workforce of the Future Act which seeks to ensure that workers are protected from the profound economic changes that AI will exert over the coming decades,” said Daniel Horowitz, Deputy Director, Legislative Department at AFGE. “The bill would require agencies, in consultation with organized labor, to report on the workforce impacts of AI and to provide educational grants for upskilling workers where needed. These measures will help the country realize the potential of AI for improving our lives at work while protecting American workers from job losses that all too often accompany technological upheavals.”
“Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace at the speed of light, and the jobs of the future will require job seekers to have new skills. We must be able to respond quickly and prepare our students to be able to take advantage of opportunities and compete for good union jobs that enable families to sustain middle-class lives. The status quo won’t do that. It’s imperative that we invest in training our educators and school staff and that we do it quickly,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “Sen. Laphonza Butler’s Workforce of the Future Act is a necessary step toward preparing the next generation of workers for a competitive workplace. By investing in education, professional development and lifelong learning opportunities; reducing the digital divide; and partnering with labor, this bill recognizes that investing in education is the best investment we can make in the country’s future.”
“Advancements in technology have always brought about change, however the changes that have come from the development and use of Artificial Intelligence have shifted many industries at a rate never seen before in history. AI has displaced many artists, creatives, designers, and actors, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” said NAVA Co-Founders, Tim Friedlander and Carin Gilfry. “The National Association of Voice Actors has always taken the position that we are not anti-technology, we are just pro-creator, and one of the keys to the future success of the creative industries is education and training around AI and emerging technologies. The Workforce of the Future Act would help provide resources to educate creatives so that we may work with AI in a way that is ethical and empowering, instead of devastating to the creative fields. The National Association of Voice Actors is honored to provide our endorsement and support of this bill.”
Tomas D. Morales, President of California State University San Bernardino said, “The Workforce of the Future Act is an important step forward to help both the education community and the workforce receive the help needed to expand an AI capable workforce. Rather than wait for the problems in the job market to emerge from this important technology, this Act seeks to get ahead of the curve and prepare the workforce for the challenge.”
The Workforce of the Future Act is endorsed by:
The Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Microsoft, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), the Urban League, and the California Department of Education.
A one-pager text of the bill is available HERE.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
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