Microsoft has partnered with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, a major labor group representing 60 unions and 12.5 million workers. This partnership aims to foster an open discussion about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and alleviate concerns about AI replacing jobs. It comes in response to increasing apprehension from labor organizations and regulatory bodies regarding the impact of AI on employment. The collaboration will involve AI learning sessions for workers, specialized AI career workshops from 2024 to 2026, and labor summits hosted by Microsoft to gather feedback from labor leaders and workers. The partnership's goals include sharing comprehensive AI technology trends with labor stakeholders, integrating worker perspectives in AI technology development, and influencing public policy to support frontline workers' technology skills and needs.

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This initiative by Microsoft is part of a broader trend among AI providers to respond to growing public scrutiny about how AI technologies may affect the workforce. Concerns have risen, as evidenced by a September Gallup poll showing that one in five college-educated workers is worried about technology making their jobs obsolete. Companies like Amazon and IBM have also taken steps to address these concerns by collaborating with institutions like MIT and prioritizing employee upskilling efforts in AI. Additionally, the U.S. government, led by President Joe Biden, has initiated efforts to support workers amid AI advancements, including producing reports on the labor market implications of AI and developing principles to mitigate potential job displacement and promote workplace equity.