As AI layoff fears mount, lawmakers weigh a bigger safety net for workers

Updated on: October 23, 2026 / 4:06 PM EDT / CBS News

As artificial intelligence capabilities improve, many Americans are worried that the technology could one day put them out of work — a possibility more lawmakers in Washington are preparing for.

Members of Congress have recently introduced a series of bills to safeguard the nation's workforce against potential AI-related disruptions. Their proposals range in scope, with many geared toward creating training programs to support workers if their roles are eliminated.

On Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, joined the push to protect workers with "The Stability and Opportunity for Workers Act," a bill that would expand unemployment benefits during "high unemployment periods."

For instance, the bill would extend unemployment benefits for 52 weeks if the unemployment rate reaches 8.5%, double the current standard of up to 26 weeks.

The bill would also assist workers displaced by AI disruption by providing them with education and retraining for higher-paying jobs, Wyden's office said in a statement.

The raft of proposals comes amid warnings about the large-scale displacements AI could cause — some of them from the leaders of AI labs themselves. Last year, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told Axios…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/