American workers ‘can’t afford to wait’ on federal AI legislation, groups say

American workers ‘can’t afford to wait’ on federal AI legislation, groups say

https://www.hrdive.com/news/american-workers-cant-afford-to-wait-on-federal-ai-legislation/818696/

Publish Date: 2026-04-28 15:48:00

Source Domain: www.hrdive.com

Here’s a summary of the article using an unordered list with key points:

– A coalition of 40 organizations has written to Congress urging lawmakers to prioritize worker rights in federal legislation about artificial intelligence (AI).
– The letter highlights concerns about the potential negative impacts of AI adoption, including jeopardizing workers’ rights, increasing discrimination risks, violating privacy rights, and affecting the economic stability of working families.
– These groups emphasize the urgency of legislative action because AI adoption is rapidly progressing and cannot be delayed any further.
– The letter was spearheaded by the Economic Policy Institute, We Build Progress, the AFL-CIO Tech Institute and Workshop.
– The organizations point out that nearly two years have passed since the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group released its AI policy roadmap without comprehensive legislation being considered in the Senate.
– They have called upon the House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy to center the impacts of AI on workers in federal reforms.
– The White House has already proposed a national AI regulation framework to avoid conflicting state laws, but this is criticized by the letter’s authors for focusing on corporate interests over public good.
– Additionally, President Donald Trump issued an executive order in December aimed at inhibiting state-level AI regulations, which critics have deemed “likely unconstitutional” and aligned with tech industry interests over state regulatory authority.