The Trump administration should incorporate worker-centered principles into federal artificial intelligence (AI) policy, guidance, and procurement as a roadmap to ensure that AI strengthens the American workforce while supporting innovation, economic growth, and U.S. global competitiveness, says U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
“Making AI benefit American workers is not only a matter of fairness, but is essential to U.S. global competitiveness, economic leadership, and long-term security,” wrote Rep. Fitzpatrick and U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in an April 6 letter sent to the president. “This is not a partisan issue, but a shared responsibility to make sure that technological progress reflects American values and empowers American workers.”
The lawmakers pointed to a set of nonpartisan principles released by the AFL-CIO in a new report entitled Artificial Intelligence: Principles to Protect Workers that offer a path forward.
“These principles call for transparency, accountability, fair notice, retraining, and a meaningful role for workers and their unions in shaping decisions about technology,” Rep. Fitzpatrick and his colleague wrote. “Collective bargaining must be a central avenue through which workers shape how AI is designed, implemented, and governed in their workplaces.”
They told Trump that they think the administration can take immediate steps to reflect these core commitments in federal AI policy and oversight, according to their letter.
For instance, the lawmakers suggested that as AI becomes more integrated into the workplace, technology should be developed and deployed in ways that elevate worker voices and support collaboration between labor and management.
“Workers should have clear information about how AI is used, what data is collected, and how decisions are made, with meaningful opportunities for training, retraining, and input as new tools are developed and introduced,” they wrote. Human judgment must remain central, and workers should have recourse when automated systems affect job assignments, evaluations, or employment decisions.”
Rep. Fitzpatrick and Sen. Kelly also requested that the administration include labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts as part of ongoing AI policy development.
AI, they wrote, “can help usher in a new American century. But success will not be measured by how rapidly technology advances. It will be measured by how widely it benefits the American people.”
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler applauded the joint effort and also emphasized the importance of worker-centered AI policies.
“AI is reshaping the future of work, and it is vital that workers’ voices are centered in the adoption of new technologies,” Shuler said. “I commend Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick for standing with workers and advocating for an AI agenda that puts working people first at every step.”