Innovation & the Future of Artificial Intelligence

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the Workforce 

AI technologies and economic competition: AI has the potential to revolutionize the future of work by addressing talent shortages, improving efficiency, enhancing workforce engagement, and aligning skills with jobs. Association members are committed to adopting AI transparently and fairly, leveraging its business value to reduce costs through process automation and enhance human capabilities for superior outcomes.

Failure of companies to adopt and integrate AI tools may render them less competitive in attracting top talent, not only in the U.S. labor market but also on a global scale. The repercussions of a broad-based lag in technological adaptation could extend beyond individual companies, impacting the broader U.S. economy. 

 The role of Chief Human Resource Officers: While AI may displace certain jobs, it can also augment human capabilities and create new job opportunities. CHROs play a pivotal leadership role within organizations navigating AI transformation by guiding the workforce and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

Policy Recommendations to Support Responsible Use of AI 

• Align any new policies with existing government frameworks that govern the use of AI. The use of technology in the employment context is already subject to extensive regulations which should be taken into consideration when developing any additional protections. Aligning any new policies with existing government frameworks that govern the use of AI ensures coherence and avoids redundancy in regulatory measures.

Existing laws include:

• Labor: The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) prohibits employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees’ exercise of Section 7 rights including spying, or giving the appearance of spying, on employee’s union activities. Care should be taken by regulators to balance the rights of employers to monitor their workplaces for legitimate non-discriminatory reasons with the rights of employees under Section 7 of the NLRA. 
  
  
• Anti-discrimination: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the employment context on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Employers are also prohibited from unlawfully discriminating based on age or disability under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  
  
  In most instances, existing laws can be applied to AI use in the workplace. Any new guidelines or regulatory proposals should be consistent with guidance from the EEOC or other agencies that have already applied existing law to the use of AI.
  
  
• Data privacy laws: Federally, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates, among other things, how consumer reporting agencies use and share consumer information. In addition to the FCRA, employers must also navigate biometric information privacy laws in numerous states.

• Adopt a forward-thinking approach. With the swift evolution of technology, new governance policies must be flexible and adaptable. By concentrating on broader principles and impacts rather than specific tools, policies can remain relevant and effective even as technology advances, preventing potential obsolescence by the time laws come into effect.
  
  
• Support public policies to reskill and upskill the U.S. workforce. Fostering collaboration between public and private sectors is key to developing a skilled, adaptable, and resilient workforce. Policymakers should prioritize investments in education and training programs to equip workers with the skills necessary to thrive in an AI-driven economy. 
  
  For example, the Association supports and encourages Congress to reintroduce and pass the Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655), a bipartisan bill introduced in the 118^th Congress that would allocate funding towards skills development and training programs, including employer on-the-job training and employer-directed skills development.

For more information, contact Chatrane Birbal at [email protected].