NEWS: Sens. Schiff, Blunt Rochester, & Hirono Introduce Bill to Protect and Prepare Workers as AI’s Economic Impacts Grow

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i)today introduced the Workforce of the Future Act. As artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly deploying across many industries, this bill requires a detailed study to grow our understanding of AI, its impact on the economy and workforce, and determine the skills necessary for workers to succeed.

Without proper guardrails, the impact AI could have on our economy is wide-ranging. According to studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), AI could replace nearly 12 percent of the workforce. Currently, many recent college grads report being unable to find work. This legislation addresses the most pressing concerns behind AI's rapid advancement in our workforce while also providing resources to prepare individuals to succeed in advanced technology sectors.

"AI is already transforming every corner of our economy in California and across the country. That's why it's critical the federal government do more to evaluate how AI will impact workers, while also investing in job training programs to prevent AI-related job displacement," said Senator Schiff. "I'm pleased to join Senators Blunt Rochester and Hirono in introducing the Workforce of the Future Act. We must act now to gain a full understanding of the impact of AI on the workplace, so we can ensure access to good paying jobs for the American people even as technology changes how we work."

"Artificial intelligence is increasingly disrupting our economy, contributing to layoffs and occupational changes," said Senator Blunt Rochester. "Building off the work done by Senator Laphonza Butler in the last Congress, I'm proud to introduce the Workforce of the Future Act alongside Senators Hirono and Schiff. This bill allows us to remain proactive, protect workers who are most impacted by the technology, and supercharge the future of work by ensuring our future workforce has the skills they need to succeed. As Delaware's former Secretary of Labor, I have spent my career ensuring people can access and maintain stable, good-paying jobs. I will maintain this commitment in the Senate as we race to confront the challenges of tomorrow."

"As advanced and emerging technologies-including AI-become rapidly integrated within society, it is imperative that we prepare our workforce for these changes," said Senator Hirono. "Specifically, we must ensure advances enabled by AI are used to strengthen, not weaken, the workforce. I am proud to introduce the Workforce of the Future Act to better prepare and equip workers with the skills necessary to adapt to AI and a rapidly-changing work environment."

The Workforce of the Future Act will:

1. Require the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to jointly and efficiently prepare a report analyzing AI's impact on the economy and workforce that must identify critical information, including what industries and jobs will be most impacted, how job quality will be impacted, necessary skills for workers, and recommendations for preparing the 21st century workforce.
2. Authorize the Department of Education to award $160 million in grants to support expanding access to emerging and advanced technology education. Grants will help support foundational and innovative STEM learning for students who need this knowledge to participate in the 21st century workforce.
   1. Grants must leverage information and recommendations from the report and may be used for teacher training and recruiting, high-quality learning materials, reducing gaps in access for underrepresented groups, engaging industry, and providing necessary support for student success.
3. Authorize the Department of Labor to award $90 million in grants to support workforce training for workers most impacted by AI.
4. Grants must leverage information and recommendations from the report and support the training of workers to prevent AI-related displacement and provide immediate support and training to workers who experience job loss in AI-impacted industries.

The Workforce of the Future Act is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Anthropic, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Microsoft, the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), OpenAI, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the Tech Council of Delaware.

A one pager on the bill is available here. Full text is available here.

###