The Biden-Harris Administration's Final Push to Regulate AI in the U.S. Labor Market
The clock is ticking. On January 20th, 2025, the Biden-Harris administration will hand over power to a new administration, one likely focused on deregulation and swift technological adoption. In the face of unprecedented implementation of artificial intelligence and automation into the labor market, this transition represents a pivotal moment for the United States. With reports forecasting that AI could impact up to 60% of jobs in developed nations, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
On January 4th, I sent a detailed letter to the White House via UPS Next Day Air, scheduled to arrive on January 6th, 2025. Unfortunately, the package was lost, wasting valuable time, so I resent it overnight via FedEx. The letter, addressed to President Biden and Vice President Harris, outlines urgent recommendations for embedding AI regulation into the U.S. Constitution. Simultaneously, I submitted the same letter through the contact form on Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign website, recognizing the importance of leveraging every available channel as the White House’s own contact form has been disabled due to the upcoming transition.
What’s at Stake?
The current administration has less than two weeks to take meaningful action to regulate AI and mitigate its potentially catastrophic impact on the American workforce. The International Monetary Fund has already highlighted that without swift intervention, the unchecked rise of AI could result in widespread job displacement, economic instability, and even social unrest. This is not merely speculation—this is our reality.
Regulating AI: A National Emergency Comparable to a Natural Disaster
On January 3rd, during a debate over the House GOP’s new rule changes, Representative Jim McGovern stated, “Nevermind if there’s an emergency like a natural disaster or a terror attack, we can’t move quickly.” While this comment referred to procedural constraints, it sheds light on a critical truth: emergencies are not limited to physical disasters. The unregulated rise of artificial intelligence in the labor market is a crisis of comparable magnitude and demands the same level of urgency.
The rapid deployment of AI has already begun to displace thousands of workers, with the IMF forecasting that up to 60% of jobs in developed nations could be disrupted. Much like a hurricane devastates communities, unregulated AI threatens to erode economic stability, leaving millions of Americans without livelihoods. The cascading effects—widespread poverty, housing crises, and social unrest—are akin to the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Failing to act now is equivalent to delaying emergency response during a catastrophe. Each day of inaction allows more jobs to vanish, more families to struggle, and more communities to fragment. Treating AI regulation as an emergency ensures the United States protects its workforce and prevents irreversible damage.
If natural disasters demand bipartisan action and swift responses, why should this technological crisis be any different? The unregulated proliferation of AI poses a threat to the American workforce that cannot wait another day.
Key Measures and Feasibility
Key measures, such as mandating a cap on workforce replacement with AI and embedding the Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act of 2024 into the U.S. Constitution, could safeguard millions of jobs and ensure the U.S. maintains its position as a global economic superpower. These measures, combined with federal support for reskilling and upskilling programs and tax incentives for businesses retaining human workers, could help stabilize the labor market in this critical period.
Historically, the legislative process in the U.S. is designed to be thorough, with constitutional amendments requiring approval by two-thirds of both the House and Senate, followed by ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures. This process, by design, is not swift. However, there have been rare instances when urgency and public pressure have accelerated action.
The question remains: Can the current administration and Congress come together, across party lines, to act decisively in the next two weeks?
Immediate Actions to Lay the Groundwork
While achieving a constitutional amendment in this timeframe is highly unlikely, there are steps the administration can take to lay the groundwork:
Executive Actions and Leveraging Existing Frameworks: President Biden's existing Executive Order on AI and the established Bipartisan Task Force on AI provide a strong foundation to address the challenges posed by AI's rapid implementation. By leveraging this framework, the administration could accelerate efforts to implement immediate safeguards, such as workforce caps, reskilling programs, and guidelines for ethical AI deployment, ensuring that the groundwork already laid translates into tangible protections for American workers. Strengthening the task force’s mandate to include clear deadlines and measurable outcomes would demonstrate decisive action, reassuring both workers and industries during this period of uncertainty.
Congressional Resolutions: Both parties could agree on expedited legislative measures to protect workers and implement reskilling programs. For example, Congress could pass temporary resolutions to fund nationwide reskilling initiatives for displaced workers, particularly in sectors such as tech and manufacturing, which have been hardest hit by automation. Additionally, bipartisan cooperation could lead to legislation mandating greater transparency in the use of AI in hiring practices and the establishment of guidelines for equitable workforce transitions. Such resolutions could serve as a bridge, providing immediate relief while laying the groundwork for longer-term legislative action. By framing these resolutions as economic and social stability measures, they could garner the necessary bipartisan support to push them through Congress quickly.
Public-Private Partnerships: The administration could collaborate with key industries to voluntarily adopt workforce caps and reskilling initiatives, creating a public-private alliance that aligns corporate goals with national interests. This partnership could include financial incentives for companies that retain human workers, such as tax credits or subsidies for reskilling programs. By fostering collaboration between government agencies, labor unions, and corporations, the administration could also establish AI oversight councils within industries to monitor the ethical deployment of AI and mitigate its impact on employment. Furthermore, highlighting success stories from early adopters of such partnerships would create a ripple effect, encouraging other companies to follow suit while maintaining public trust in both the private sector and the government.
Bipartisan Cooperation: A Path Forward
Despite the polarization of American politics, there are moments when both Democrats and Republicans have united in the face of crisis. This is one such moment. The rising tide of AI-induced job displacement threatens not just one political base but every American worker. With sufficient leadership, public pressure, and advocacy, it is conceivable that Congress could prioritize bipartisan solutions before the January 20th deadline.
Why This Matters
The consequences of inaction are dire. Without immediate measures, the United States risks not only losing millions of jobs but also its standing as a global economic leader. The future of the American workforce hangs in the balance, and decisions made—or not made—in these critical two weeks will shape the trajectory of our nation for decades to come.
A Call to Action
My letter below to the administration underscores these realities and provides actionable solutions, including a link to a video montage that highlights the current challenges through personal stories and data-driven insights. The video serves as a call to action, urging our leaders to act with the urgency this moment demands.
January 4, 2025
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Subject: Embedding AI Regulation in the U.S. Constitution Before January 20th, 2025
Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris,
I am writing to urge your administration to take immediate and historic action to safeguard the livelihoods of millions of Americans by addressing the rapid and unchecked implementation of artificial intelligence and automation into the labor market. As your presidential term approaches its conclusion, we face an unparalleled opportunity to establish a legacy of protecting workers and ensuring the ethical adoption of AI through bold legislative action.
Over the past year, the U.S. labor market has experienced unprecedented disruption, with thousands of workers displaced by AI and automation, especially in the tech sector and manufacturing. The International Monetary Fund predicts that up to 60% of jobs in developed nations could be affected by automation. Without decisive action, the United States is at risk of a cascading crisis: unemployment, economic instability, and social unrest.
To better illustrate the scope of the current crisis and its impact on the labor market, I invite you to view this video montage, which frames the pressing social challenges while providing data analytics findings on the current hiring landscape.
The solutions are within reach, and your leadership can ensure they become reality.
Key Recommendations for Immediate Action
Incorporate a Percentage Cap on Workforce Replacement into the U.S. Constitution
Mandate a cap on the extent to which private companies can replace their human workforce with AI and automation. This measure will prevent over-reliance on automation, protect jobs, and encourage companies to value human labor as an essential component of their operations.Establish the Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act of 2024 as Part of the U.S. Constitution
Embed the Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act into the U.S. Constitution to ensure:Federal support for reskilling and upskilling programs, empowering displaced workers to transition into emerging industries.
Robust oversight and accountability mechanisms to prevent exploitative or unethical uses of AI.
Provide Tax Incentives to Businesses Retaining Human Workers
Offer tax write-offs and financial incentives to companies that retain their human workforce and invest in federally subsidized reskilling and upskilling programs.
Implement fines for companies that disproportionately replace human employees with AI, reinforcing the value of human labor.
These measures will not only safeguard the economy but also provide a clear pathway for businesses to innovate responsibly while protecting American livelihoods and maintaining the United States as a superpower in the worldwide economic landscape.
The Urgency of Now
The window to act is closing rapidly. If these measures are not implemented before January 20th, 2025, the incoming administration may prioritize deregulation, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to further displacement and economic instability. By embedding these protections in the U.S. Constitution, your administration can ensure lasting change that cannot be easily reversed.
This moment is a call to action for bold and decisive leadership and a common understanding from both the Democratic and Republican parties. The people of this nation are counting on you to act in their best interests and demonstrate a commitment to a fair, equitable, and sustainable future.
Thank you for considering these urgent recommendations. I kindly request an acknowledgment of receipt of this letter and a timeline for addressing these critical concerns. Together, we can set a global standard for ethical AI adoption and workforce preservation.
Sincerely,
Kevin Bihan-Poudec
Founder, Voice For Change Foundation
Conclusion
Time is of the essence. The Biden-Harris administration’s final days offer a fleeting but critical window to address one of the most pressing issues of our time. Whether through executive actions, legislative measures, or bipartisan agreements, every effort must be made to ensure AI is regulated responsibly. This is not just a fight for jobs; it is a fight for the soul of the American economy and the stability of our society.
Let us hope our leaders rise to this challenge and make the bold decisions necessary to protect the American workforce and preserve our nation's legacy as a global superpower.
#ActNowOnAI
