One of the Democratic Party’s brightest stars is co-founding a group to help with the coming AI jobs earthquake

As the United States hurtles towards a future dominated by artificial intelligence, a sense of unease settles over the nation. With AI poised to reshape half of U.S. jobs over the next few years, the specter of catastrophic job losses looms large. However, a new bipartisan nonprofit, RAISE US, is working to ensure that America can harness the economic benefits of AI without sacrificing its workers. Founded by former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, and former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, RAISE US aims to deploy more than $500 million to fund new forms of education and training that will help American workers adapt to an increasingly automated economy.

Background & Context

The rapid advancement of AI has left many questioning whether America is prepared for the impending jobs earthquake. With AI expected to displace human workers from factories to offices, the stakes are high. A recent analysis by the Boston Consulting Group estimated that roughly half of U.S. jobs will be reshaped by AI over the next few years, with as many as 25 million jobs potentially eliminated in the U.S. over the next five years.

While proponents of AI argue that the technology will generate unprecedented wealth and create new opportunities for growth, critics warn of doomsday scenarios that could destabilize the country and its democracy. With RAISE US, Raimondo and Holcomb are seeking to bridge the partisan divide and find common ground on the issue of AI and its impact on American workers.

Key Details

RAISE US is initially partnering with officials in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, and Utah, as well as several of America's largest companies and charitable organizations. The nonprofit aims to develop policies that connect schools more closely to employers, so that layoffs can be replaced by the potential for new jobs with higher incomes. They are also exploring changes to corporate taxes and other incentives with the goal of keeping people working.

"Good things tend to happen when you convert have-nots into haves," Holcomb said. Among the companies serving as anchor partners with RAISE US are Amazon, Microsoft, Anthropic, the OpenAI Foundation, and Bank of America. Other employers involved in the project include UPS, General Motors, Eli Lilly, Mastercard, chipmaker AMD, Cisco, and IBM.

What Experts Say

AI has the potential to revolutionize industries and create new opportunities for growth, but it also poses significant risks to American workers. "We're talking about a certain level of unemployment that could destabilize our country and our democracy," Raimondo said in an interview. "If you want to lead the world in AI, you have to take action to make sure our democracy doesn't crumble." With a bipartisan advisory board that includes former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, billionaire investment manager Stephen Schwarzman, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and the economists David Autor, Erik Brynjolfsson, and Raj Chetty, RAISE US is well-positioned to tackle the complex challenges posed by AI.

Key Takeaways

• RAISE US aims to deploy more than $500 million to fund new forms of education and training that will help American workers adapt to an increasingly automated economy.
• The nonprofit is initially partnering with officials in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, and Utah, as well as several of America's largest companies and charitable organizations.
• RAISE US is exploring changes to corporate taxes and other incentives with the goal of keeping people working and replacing layoffs with new job opportunities.
• The nonprofit's bipartisan advisory board includes experts from both sides of the aisle, ensuring that RAISE US is well-positioned to tackle the complex challenges posed by AI.

What This Means For You

As AI continues to reshape the U.S. job market, it's essential that Americans are prepared for the changes ahead. With RAISE US working to mitigate the impact of AI on American workers, there is hope that the country can harness the benefits of this technology without sacrificing its most valuable resource: its people. By supporting RAISE US and its efforts to promote education, training, and job creation, we can ensure that the economic gains promised by AI are shared by all.

As Raimondo so aptly put it, "We're talking about a certain level of unemployment that could destabilize our country and our democracy." With RAISE US on the front lines, fighting to ensure that America's workers are prepared for the AI jobs earthquake, we can hope for a brighter future where technological advancements and economic growth go hand-in-hand.