The upcoming presidential election will be a turning point for America’s workforce, with artificial intelligence (AI) set to redefine work as we know it. Unlike past technological shifts, AI’s rapid scale and potential to automate tasks across all sectors—from manufacturing to finance—pose both risks and opportunities. The next administration will need to make critical policy decisions on labor protections, regulations, and worker training to prevent AI from becoming a tool that deepens economic divides and exacerbates job insecurity.
Organized labor should be at the forefront of this discussion, yet many unions have remained hesitant to endorse a candidate. This silence is striking, given the contrasting labor stances of the two leading candidates.