Kelly, Banks, Young Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Track, Inform AI’s Impact on the American Workforce

Read in Punchbowl: Tech: Kelly, Banks lead labor AI data bill

Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Authorization and Transparency Act (AI DATA), legislation to authorize and modernize federal labor market data surveys and reports, so workers, businesses, educators, researchers, and policymakers can better understand how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping and impacting the American workforce.

The AI DATA Act builds on Kelly's AI for America roadmap which he released last year to make sure AI benefits all Americans-not just large companies-and that working families don't get left behind.

"American workers and businesses are facing a rapidly changing economy. They deserve reliable and up-to-date data to understand how AI is affecting them, their jobs, and their families. To get it right, we need the facts and in this case, that's the latest numbers," said Kelly.

"Artificial Intelligence is going to profoundly transform the American economy. If we want America to lead the world in AI, we need reliable data on how AI is reshaping the workforce," said Banks.

"All Americans are navigating the impact of AI on their jobs and families. Our bill will help provide America's workers and businesses with more information on how AI is transforming our economy," said Young.

"We are spending billions of dollars on AI investments and virtually nothing on measuring its impact on workers and the economy. I'm glad Senator Kelly is pushing to change that," said Erika McEntarfer, former Commissioner of the BLS. "Surveys like these are critical tools for understanding how AI is reshaping work, but they can only do so if they're protected, funded, and modernized."

"Artificial intelligence is transforming work in real time, and policymakers need reliable, timely data to understand what is changing, where, and why," said Friends of BLS Co-Chairs and former BLS Commissioners Erica Groshen and William Beach. "The bipartisan AI DATA Act strengthens the statistical infrastructure that makes this possible by reinforcing core BLS programs and improving coordination across federal data systems. High-quality labor statistics are a national asset, and modernizing BLS's ability to measure labor demand, work patterns, and long-term workforce outcomes will benefit workers, businesses, and communities across the country."

Background:

The legislation follows an effort by Kelly to strengthen federal data collection on AI and the workforce through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the U.S. Census Bureau. In April, Kelly led a group of his colleagues in a letter to appropriators to fund BLS's efforts to understand AI's impact on the workforce.

The AI DATA Act would:

• Authorize and modernize several existing key Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) labor market surveys and ensure the data collected can help assess changes associated with technological change, including AI. The surveys include the:
  • Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS): Tracks job openings, hires, quits, layoffs, and other labor market turnover indicators to measure labor demand and workforce changes across occupations, industries and regions.
  • American Time Use Survey (ATUS): Measures how Americans allocate their time across work, caregiving, education, and other activities, helping policymakers understand how work patterns and tasks change over time.
  • National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS): Follows individuals over time to track employment outcomes, earnings growth, job mobility, education, and training.
• Require the U.S. Census Bureau to incorporate questions on AI adoption and workforce impacts into the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) on a quarterly basis for 10 years.
• Direct the Departments of Labor and Commerce to publish an annual report analyzing the impact of AI on the workforce using integrated data from BLS surveys, Census data, and other federal datasets. The reporting requirement sunsets after 10 years.

Click here to read the full text of the bill and here for a one-pager.