On Feb. 3, the House Education & the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing to explore issues surrounding the readiness of American companies and workers to compete and succeed in an economy driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The issues examined focused on worker protections.
Committee members and witnesses alike opined that AI is changing how work is done in the United States—but in uneven, task-specific ways that current data struggle to capture. There are already worker protection laws in place, they said, but measurement-first policymaking, along with better data now, is needed to ensure that training, labor standards, and social insurance are grounded in real evidence. They concluded that AI adoption in the workplace must be both innovative and worker-centered.
One witness said, “AI is going to create more jobs than it replaces. I was reading something recently…that the internet created 2.6 jobs for every job that it displaced. If you stop innovation in the American workplace, it’s going to hurt the American worker and it’s going to hurt the American economy vis-à-vis countries like China.”
Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA), the subcommittee’s chair, summed up the hearing by saying that clear expectations and responsible use of AI not only protect workers’ rights but also strengthen workplace morale and performance. "While technology can make our workplaces better, trust and transparency always benefit the workplace. Employers protect rights, strengthen morale, and build trust when they communicate openly about how AI is deployed in the workplace. That trust is essential for a competitive workforce and strengthens ties between workers and job creators. The bottom line is that AI can create opportunity without compromising fairness or safety.”
Prospects: AI is a rapidly emerging and complex issue. Expect more hearings and possibly legislative proposals later this year.
NAIFA Staff Contacts: Jayne Fitzgerald – Director –Government Relations, at jfitzgerald@naifa.org