Support Rolls in from Policymakers and National Organizations for Kelly’s Make AI Work for Americans Act

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the Make AI Work for Americans Act , landmark legislation designed to make sure companies benefiting the most from AI pay their fair share and invest in American workers. The bill establishes a dedicated federal trust fund to support American workers, job seekers, and communities as the economy changes. Since its introduction, the bill has received broad support from national leaders. See what supporters of the Make AI Work for Americans Act are saying here: “It’s critical that legislators in Washington and in state capitols around the country begin to act now to help Americans make a successful transition to an AI economy. We can’t leave workers behind — as we have in the past — if we want to win the global AI competition. I applaud Senator Kelly for his leadership on this issue in Congress and for his legislation to make sure that AI works for working people,” said Gina Raimondo, CEO, RAISE US, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. “Senator Mark Kelly has introduced legislation that says the companies profiting from artificial intelligence have an obligation to the workers that technology displaces. His bill puts real money behind job training, behind paid work that carries a credential, and behind a stronger safety net for people who lose employment through no fault of their own,” said Reverend Al Sharpton, President, National Action Network. Click here to read NAN’s full letter of support. “At a time when many are urging our policymakers to take AI’s potential disruption seriously, it is good to see in this legislation a set of policies aimed at mitigating AI’s negative impacts on workers—from those just starting out to those displaced mid-career,” said Erika McEntarfer, former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). “The early part of my career was building Internet platforms and I watched policy arrive years after the consequences did. We cannot repeat that same mistake in the AI era. Senator Kelly’s bill strengthens protections for workers before the disruption hits. And it is paid for by the industry, so the cost doesn’t fall on workers alone,” said Jason Goldman, technologist and former White House Chief Digital Officer. “The public is looking for Congress to step up quickly to make sure AI development and deployment benefits workers, not just wealthy investors and executives. Senator Kelly’s bill offers many good ideas to push AI adoption in a pro-worker direction,” said Bharat Ramamurti, former Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council. “Senator Kelly’s Make AI Work for Americans Act represents a major step forward in rejecting an AI future that concentrates gains for the few while leaving millions of hard-working Americans behind. The Act provides admirably detailed revenue proposals to ensure that those profiting from AI-induced displacement of workers, help fund a major increase in opportunities for workers to transition to new careers, start new businesses, attain National Service jobs while also ensuring that unemployment benefits are substantial enough to support a worker’s family while they strive to attain these new jobs. Importantly, Senator Kelly’s call for a major expansion of National Service jobs could provide entry level workers being squeezed out by AI the chance to both serve their country and gain valuable work experience, judgment and managerial skills,” said Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council for Presidents Clinton and Obama, Senior Advisor to President Biden, Director of the Economic Dignity Lab at McCourt School at Georgetown. Gene Sperling on X : Kudos to @SenMarkKelly for not waiting for major AI job dislocation to start laying the foundation for putting jobs & workers first. His bill admirably lays out specific AI revenue sources to fund not only needed training, but also National Service jobs & entrepreneurship. “Senator Kelly has been thoughtfully wrestling with the concerns that real Americans are facing with the adoption of AI — job displacement, costs, and ensuring that the benefits of this technology don’t just accrue to the few. This keeps the focus on ensuring Americans win,” said Mieke Eoyang, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy. “The companies that are ushering in AI should pay to fix the societal harms it will cause. Senator Kelly’s legislation is built on that idea. This bill puts industry dollars into supporting workers whose jobs are changing and gives everyone the resources to adapt. It will take effort from private companies and government leadership to make sure this technology develops responsibly, and I believe this bill is the right way to start,” said Jon A. Shirley, former President, Chief Operating Officer, and Director of Microsoft. “A safe AI future and a fair AI economy are two sides of the same promise. With one in five American workers expected to be Latino by 2030, our community has an enormous stake in seeing that promise kept. Senator Kelly’s Make AI Work for Americans Act ensures that as the AI industry grows, so do our investments in the workers who power the American economy. This legislation invests in paid service-to-career pathways, community college and apprenticeship programs, and capital for new small businesses. It gives workers who lose their jobs real stability as they retrain and find their next opportunity; and it helps close the digital divide by supporting digital access for participants, building AI literacy into our workforce system, and making resources available to people with limited English proficiency. It also gives workers and civil rights organizations a seat at the table as AI enters the workplace. This legislation lays the foundation for modernizing how we support workers and workplaces in the age of AI. UnidosUS is proud to endorse it and urges Congress to pass it,” said Eric Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy, UnidosUS. “Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the nature of work, and our workforce development systems must evolve alongside it. JFF is proud to support the Make AI Work for Americans Act , which invests in the systems already serving workers while expanding access to education and training, strengthening service-to-career pathways, supporting entrepreneurship, and helping workers navigate technological change. We applaud Senator Kelly’s leadership in advancing a vision for AI that puts workers at the center and helps ensure technological progress creates greater economic opportunity for people and communities across the country,” said Maria Flynn, President and CEO, Jobs for the Future (JFF). “The greatest barrier to older Americans participating in the AI economy is not their willingness to learn, but access to opportunities. Older Americans are ready to embrace AI and develop the skills needed to succeed in a changing workplace. What they need is access to training and investments in their potential. Our economy cannot afford to overlook this extraordinary source of talent,” said Gary. A. Officer, Founder & CEO, CWI Labs. “Senator Kelly’s Make AI Work for Americans Act is a series of policy proposals focused on what Americans will need most in the AI age. If AI has the transformative impact on our society that those who are building it say it will, we will need new ideas and a safety net for our workforce, small businesses, and more. This bill focuses on how to deliver real benefits to Americans impacted by AI and makes sure companies pay their fair share to ensure that AI works for all of us. It’s refreshing to see real leaders rising to the challenge of the AI age and we applaud the Senator for his efforts,” said Neera Tanden, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress. “As artificial intelligence transforms our classrooms and communities, we have a generational responsibility to ensure that every student and worker is equipped to navigate this new landscape. The Make AI Work for Americans Act takes a vital, inclusive approach, anchored by robust investments in education, AI literacy, and workforce alignment, so that all Americans can share in the remarkable opportunities of artificial intelligence while safeguarding against its risks,” said Erin Mote, CEO, InnovateEDU. “It is important that Congress recognizes that we need a greater investment in worker transitions, particularly given the possibility for a dramatic reshaping of our economy due to rapid advancement in technology. Senator Kelly and his staff have done a great job thinking about the most pressing issues with unemployment insurance, especially right now. I hope this legislation gets the serious consideration that it deserves,” said Michele Evermore, Senior Fellow for Worker Transitions, National Employment Law Project. “This act would empower underserved communities with the necessary tools to help shape their lives and our collective future via system innovation, especially for small businesses. At the same time, it addresses the existing digital divide by opening new pathways to unexplored economic opportunity, competition, and equity. It turns AI into a participatory device accessible to all, rather than a passive application intended for and controlled by a few,” said Robert Alvarado, Senior Vice President, Chicanos Por La Causa. “AmeriCorps and the nation’s state service commissions connect service to careers, provide hands-on experience, skill development, and pathways to meaningful work. We applaud Senator Kelly’s leadership in introducing the Make AI Work for Americans Act and his recognition of the National Service for America’s Future program to expand paid service opportunities that lead to credentials, careers, and durable skills. As technology reshapes the workplace, national service can play an important role in preparing workers and strengthening communities. State service commissions stand ready to help turn this vision into opportunities that meet local workforce needs across the country,” said John Kelly, CEO, America’s Service Commissions. “Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the labor market, including many of the entry-level jobs that have traditionally helped young people get a foothold in the workforce. The Make AI Work for Americans Act recognizes that national service should be part of the solution. By building on AmeriCorps as a backbone for new service-to-career opportunities and exploring ways to strengthen AmeriCorps, this legislation would help more Americans build durable skills, gain meaningful work experience, and pursue credentials and careers while meeting critical needs in their communities. We thank Senator Kelly for recognizing national service as an important part of the workforce infrastructure our country will need as AI transforms the economy,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President, Voices for National Service. “As Congress writes the rules for what comes next, young people must be at the center of it. They’re entering a job market where the entry-level roles that used to launch careers are changing fast. Americans across the ideological spectrum support national service, and states are equipped to scale it. Every time this country has faced a shift this large, it has answered with service, from the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Depression to the GI Bill after World War II. Today’s challenge deserves an answer of the same ambition. Senator Kelly is putting one on the table, and we are grateful for his leadership,” said Vicky Hausman, Founder & CEO, American Service Project. Click here to read the full text of the bill, here for a section-by-section, and here for a one-pager. See what stakeholders are saying about Make AI Work for Americans Act here .