President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for the “rapid retraining” of workers displaced by artificial intelligence. That directive and others came as part of a White House AI action plan aimed at advancing such skills in the U.S. workforce.
The U.S. Department of Labor should use available discretionary funds to pay for that training, he said. The agency also should develop — in partnership with employers and other stakeholders — training programs that address workforce needs in priority AI infrastructure jobs.
Going a step further, the plan suggested DOL explore ways to incentivize employers to upskill incumbent workers.
Trump also called on the Treasury Department to issue guidance clarifying that many AI literacy and AI skill development programs may qualify as eligible educational assistance under the Internal Revenue Code. “In applicable situations, this will enable employers to offer tax-free reimbursement for AI-related training and help scale private-sector investment in AI skill development, preserving jobs for American workers,” according to the plan.
Estimates on potential AI-related job displacement vary but a recent SHRM report indicated that more than 19 million roles — more than 12% of jobs in the U.S. — face a high risk or very high risk of near-term displacement due to automation. The research deemed blue-collar, service and white-collar administrative support occupations as particularly high risk.
Wednesday’s directives, aimed at mitigating some of those losses, were well-received by DOL leadership. In a prepared statement, Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling praised it as “a worker-centric AI strategy” that the agency “looks forward to executing.”
