AEI–Urban Commission on AI and the Future of the American Workforce Names 20 Commissioners to Advise Policymakers

WASHINGTON, DC, September 10, 2026-The Commission on AI and the Future of the American Workforce today named 20 commissioners who will deliver real-time, evidence-based policy playbooks to help policymakers respond to artificial intelligence's impact on jobs and workers. The newly named commissioners bring expertise from business, labor, government, and academia and will convene over the next year.

Co-chaired by former US Secretary of Commerce and former Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo and former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and co-hosted by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Urban Institute, the commission will assess how AI is reshaping jobs, skills, benefits, and earnings and will develop practical policy options to help workers, employers, and governments adapt.

"Artificial intelligence is reshaping our economy, and this commission is ready to meet the challenge with hard data and clear vision," said commission co-chair Paul Ryan. "Complex problems demand serious leadership, and our commissioners possess the depth and expertise needed to ensure American workers thrive in an AI-driven economy. Secretary Raimondo and I are committed to a substantive, data-driven effort-not partisan soundbites-and we are deeply grateful to this exceptional group for stepping up to lead."

"The impact of AI is no longer a future problem. AI is already reshaping jobs and earnings and the policy response has not kept pace. I am excited about this commission's ability to help close that gap by following the evidence wherever it leads and putting practical options in the hands of people who have to make hard decisions. That includes helping workers navigate the AI transition with greater confidence and opportunity," said commission co-chair Gina Raimondo. "It is a privilege to serve alongside Paul Ryan and this exceptional group of commissioners. The breadth of expertise, from labor economics to AI development to community impact, is exactly what this challenge demands. We are committed to doing rigorous work and sharing findings in real time so that policymakers and workers alike can take action."

The commissioners are:

• Greg Acs, institute fellow, Health, Income, and Benefits Policy Division, Urban Institute
• Roy L. Austin, Jr., director, Howard Law Artificial Intelligence Initiative
• Beth Babcock, former president and CEO, EMPath (Economic Mobility Pathways)
• Gregory Bernstein, chairman and CEO, The New Industrial Corporation
• Joshua Bolten, president and CEO, Business Roundtable
• Erik Brynjolfsson, director, Stanford Digital Economy Lab
• Claude Cummings Jr., president, Communications Workers of America
• Mary C. Daly, president and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
• Maria Flynn, president and CEO, Jobs for the Future
• Harry J. Holzer, professor of public policy, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University
• Brendan McCord, founder and chair, Cosmos Institute
• Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO, Lumina Foundation
• Jennifer Pahlka, co-founder and board chair, Recoding America Fund
• Fred Payne, president and CEO, United Way of Central Indiana
• Arun Rao, adjunct professor, UCLA
• The Honorable Tim Ryan, former US Representative (D-OH)
• Juan Salgado, chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago
• Matt Sigelman, president, Burning Glass Institute
• Jeremy Singer, president, College Board
• Michael R. Strain, director of economic policy studies, American Enterprise Institute

The commission formally launched on June 11, 2026. Elisabeth Jacobs, executive director of WorkRise at the Urban Institute and Brent Orrell, senior fellow at AEI, serve as co-directors and guide its day-to-day work. A research team composed of experts in macroeconomics and labor economics, AI development and technology, AI regulation, labor market information systems, skills and training, public benefits and social insurance, business practices, and place-based impacts will inform the commissioners' approach. The effort is designed to meet the urgency of the moment by releasing timely, data-driven analyses and recommendations that help leaders act as AI's effects become clearer.

"I am proud that three AEI scholars will be playing an essential role on this commission. Michael R. Strain and Brent Orrell are two of our nation's leading experts on artificial intelligence and the American workforce, and Paul Ryan brings exceptional experience working across political divides to drive innovative policy change at the highest level," said AEI president Robert Doar. "I am confident that with Speaker Ryan's and Secretary Raimondo's leadership, the commission will equip policymakers with the data, ideas, and solutions they need to successfully navigate and realize the full potential of this transformative technological moment."

Over the next year, the commission will hear from individuals most affected by the AI transition through listening sessions, worker panels, roundtable discussions, and employer site visits.

"Ultimately, general purpose technological change transforms the economy, communities, and people's lives. We want to ensure our institutions, including employers, government, workforce and education systems, center people as we adapt to AI, and the best way to do that is to ensure that the people affected are part of the process," said Sarah Rosen Wartell, Urban Institute president. "We will work to ensure the commission's recommendations are practical, actionable, and responsive to the people they affect."

Along with issuing practical policy playbooks, the commission will produce a final synthesis report in 2027 to help policymakers address a range of potential AI scenarios. By convening voices across ideology, drawing on talent across sectors, and building rigorous evidence along the way, the Commission on AI and the Future of the American Workforce can help shape the country's future and help leaders respond thoughtfully to what could be one of the most significant workforce transitions in generations.

Visit aiworkforcecommission.org to stay up to date on commission activities and product releases.

About the American Enterprise Institute

The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of our scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in our belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of our society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture.

About the Urban Institute

The Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization founded on one simple idea: To improve lives and strengthen communities, we need practices and policies that work. For more than 50 years, that has been our charge. By equipping changemakers with evidence and solutions, together we can create a future where every person and community has the opportunity and power to thrive.

Media contact:

Lexi Baker, American Enterprise Institute: [email protected]; (202) 862-5829

Jacinth Jones, Urban Institute: [email protected]; (202) 261-5709