Key facts
- A new nonprofit, RAISE US, has launched with over $500 million to help American workers adapt to AI.
- RAISE US is led by former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
- Major tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Anthropic, and OpenAI are anchor partners.
- The organization will pilot retraining programs and explore policy incentives in partnership with states and employers.
- RAISE US aims to connect schools more closely with employers and explore tax incentives to retain workers.
A new bipartisan nonprofit, RAISE US, has launched with over $500 million in initial funding to help American workers adapt to the economic shifts brought about by artificial intelligence. The organization, co-founded by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, aims to mitigate potential job losses and ensure the country reaps the economic benefits of AI without widespread worker suffering.
RAISE US plans to partner with states, major employers, and charitable organizations to pilot new forms of education and training. The focus will be on connecting educational institutions more closely with employers to facilitate career pivots into new, potentially higher-paying jobs. The nonprofit is also exploring policy incentives, including potential changes to corporate taxes, to encourage companies to retain workers.
Anchor partners for RAISE US include tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Anthropic, and the OpenAI Foundation, alongside Bank of America, UPS, General Motors, Eli Lilly, Mastercard, AMD, Cisco, and IBM. Raimondo stated that the initiative is crucial to prevent potential unemployment from destabilizing the country and its democracy, emphasizing the need for action to support workers in an increasingly automated economy.
Experts estimate that AI could reshape roughly half of U.S. jobs in the coming years, with potential job eliminations ranging from millions to tens of millions. Critics warn of catastrophic job losses, while proponents suggest AI will generate new wealth. President Donald Trump has expressed less concern, banking on AI data centers and power plants to drive hiring, despite recent job losses in manufacturing and transportation sectors.