WASHINGTON, DC (June 24, 2026) - Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) and Congressman Greg Casar (TX- 35) introduced the AI Workforce Impact Study Act of 2026, legislation directing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive, retroactive study on the impact of artificial intelligence on the United States workforce since 2022.

"Workers should not have to guess how artificial intelligence is affecting their jobs or their futures. As I outlined in my report last year on AI's impact on American jobs, Congress needs reliable data to better understand these changes. We need to know where jobs are being lost, where new opportunities are being created, and which communities are being hit hardest," said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee. "The AI Workforce Impact Study Act will provide the transparency and accountability we need to protect workers, support families, and prepare our workforce for the future."

"Companies are already laying off workers citing AI, so we must understand how American workers are at risk," said Congressman Greg Casar. "I'm proud to work with Rep. Foushee to demand answers."

This legislation builds on Congresswoman Foushee's 2025 report on AI's impact on American jobs. The report found that 54,694 jobs were lost in 2025 with AI cited as a factor, while layoff announcements surpassed 1.1 million job cuts. The report also highlighted rising unemployment among Black Americans and growing concerns that the class of 2026 would graduate into one of the most challenging job markets for new college graduates in recent years. The AI Workforce Impact Study Act of 2026 serves as a direct next step in that fact-finding effort by requiring GAO to examine how AI is contributing to job losses, job creation, changes in work, and gaps in federal data collection.

The legislation directs GAO to estimate job losses and job gains attributable to AI, examine how AI is changing work, including its use in worker monitoring, and assess the limitations of existing federal data collection methods for measuring AI's workforce impact. To ensure Congress has a full picture of how AI is affecting workers, communities, and sectors of the economy, the study would disaggregate data on jobs lost and created by geography, industry, occupation, sex, and race. The Comptroller General would be required to submit a report to Congress within one year of enactment.

The AI Workforce Impact Study Act of 2026 is endorsed by Encode AI and the Future of Life Institute.

"AI is rapidly transforming America's economy and workforce faster than we can track. The AI Workforce Impact Study Act of 2026 takes the critical first step of measuring precisely how AI is impacting everyday Americans. That information will be critical as we consider how government should respond to AI-driven job displacement," said Adam Billen, Co-Executive Director, Encode AI.

"Representative Foushee's AI Workforce Impact Study Act of 2026 is an important step toward understanding how AI is reshaping work and America's economy. Our data on AI's effects is fragmented and incomplete but this bill will help ensure that future decisions are based on the facts, rather than speculation. The Future of Life Institute commends this clear-eyed, empirical approach and encourages Congress to build on it as a foundation for responsible AI governance," said Michael Kleinman, Head of U.S. Policy, Future of Life Institute.

The full text of the bill can be found here.