A bipartisan bill introduced to the Senate on Wednesday would create a commission of lawmakers and industry leaders to develop policy recommendations to address future economic and workforce impacts of artificial intelligence (AI).
Introduced by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., the Economy of the Future Commission Act would direct two reports to be delivered to Congress over the course of 13 months. The reports would focus on AI education and workforce training, reskilling, unemployment insurance policy, and taxation policy.
“AI is going to transform nearly every sector of our economy,” Warner said in a statement. “The question isn’t whether these changes are coming – it’s whether we are prepared. We need clear-eyed analysis and practical, bipartisan solutions to help workers gain new skills, support people whose jobs are disrupted, and make sure the United States leads the world in the industries of the future.”
Rounds added, “This commission would help keep America ahead of our global competitors and keep America prosperous and innovative.”
The commission’s first report would be due within seven months of the bill’s enactment. It would outline expected employment changes from AI and provide resources that the public can use to better understand AI.
A second and final report within 13 months of enactment would include the legislative recommendations.
The senators said that the commission would specifically include bipartisan members of Congress. Two members would become commission co-chairs, and one would have to be Republican and the other Democrat. One co-chair would also need to be from the Senate and the other from the House.
Experts from industry, academia, and leaders from government agencies focused on education, labor, commerce, and economic policy would also be members of the commission.
The commission would additionally evaluate the possibility and benefit of a national federal AI research investment strategy, and whether open-source and open-weight AI models can give small and midsize businesses a practical edge while helping governments operate more efficiently.
Additionally, just days after the Department of Transportation announced pilot projects for so-called “flying cars,” Warner and Rounds’ bill would also direct the commission to evaluate changes to transportation safety policies and regulations caused by the integration of AI into autonomous vehicles.
The bill comes with backing from major tech companies, university leaders, AI policy groups, and workforce development organizations.
“Artificial intelligence is evolving at a pace that demands forward-looking leadership. The Economy of the Future Commission Act rises to that challenge by bringing together a bipartisan group of experts and policymakers to chart a path forward for our country,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service.
Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. government affairs at Microsoft, added that, “As AI reshapes jobs, skills, and productivity across every sector, it is critical that Congress advance thoughtful solutions to support workers and long-term economic growth. We believe this legislation offers a pragmatic, bipartisan path forward at a pivotal moment for the U.S. workforce.”
The most recent numbers on projected workforce impacts come from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who estimated last year that within a decade, AI could be responsible for 100 million jobs lost. Some of the industries most impacted would be fast food and counter workers, accountants, and truck drivers.
Warner and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., led a group of nine senators earlier this week in writing to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau to request that AI be integrated into labor force surveys and increase the frequency of reports on how the technology is affecting jobs. The senators noted that better data is needed to measure how AI impacts the economy and workforce, for which the government currently has limited information.