Witnesses press Congress to expand Census and BLS data to track AI’s effects on jobs and tasks

Witnesses at a House Education and Workforce subcommittee hearing told members that insufficient federal data hampers efforts to craft targeted AI policy for the workforce.

Rachel Gessler argued that ‘‘we lack the data necessary to understand AI well enough to support innovation while protecting workers’’ and recommended two immediate steps: expand the Census Bureau’s Business Trends and Outlook Survey to include detailed questions on where AI is deployed and how it affects employment, and direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create a comprehensive task database to track which tasks across occupations are affected by AI.

Gessler said these measures would allow policymakers to distinguish between tasks replaced by AI and jobs being transformed, and would help educators and training programs align skills to demand. Members including Rep. Wahlberg and Rep. Mesmer pressed witnesses on how to ensure these surveys capture gig and contingent work and to collect data more frequently so policymakers and employers have timely information.

The hearing did not produce legislation, but witnesses and several members signaled support for data modernization as a near-term, non-regulatory step that could inform future rulemaking or funding decisions.