Raise Us Launches With $500 Million to Test AI Job-Loss Policies
Updated
Updated · The Atlantic · Jul 9
Raise Us Launches With $500 Million to Test AI Job-Loss Policies
3 articles · Updated · The Atlantic · Jul 9
Summary
$500 million-plus has been raised by new nonprofit Raise Us to run state-level trials aimed at cushioning AI-driven labor disruption rather than just promoting AI literacy.
Gina Raimondo and Eric Holcomb are leading the effort with Utah, Connecticut, Arkansas and Maryland as initial government partners, using pilots to generate evidence for future federal policy.
Wage insurance is a flagship idea—temporarily topping up pay for workers who take lower-wage jobs after displacement—alongside apprenticeships and career-navigation tools that have seen little large-scale U.S. testing.
Anthropic, Amazon, Microsoft and the OpenAI Foundation are among the backers, tying the project to a broader Silicon Valley push that also includes OpenAI's $250 million and Anthropic's $350 million transition initiatives.
Economists still dispute how severe AI job losses will be, but the funding wave shows tech companies trying to shape the policy response as they build systems that could accelerate displacement.
With billions pledged to fight AI job loss, will the average worker actually see the benefits?
As tech giants fund solutions to the AI job crisis, can their motives truly be trusted?
Raise Us: A $500 Million Bipartisan Effort to Retrain America’s Workforce for the Age of AI
Overview
Launched in July 2026, Raise Us is a nonprofit organization created to help American workers adapt to the economic changes brought by artificial intelligence. With over $500 million in financial support and backing from tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, Raise Us aims to prepare the workforce for an AI-driven future. The organization stresses that technological progress should not leave millions behind, echoing concerns that failing to support workers could lead to national decline. Guided by a diverse advisory board, Raise Us focuses on practical programs and policies to ensure workers can thrive as AI transforms the economy.