AI Giants Back Nonprofit Focused on Workforce Transition
The AI industry's biggest names are investing in more than just models and infrastructure — they're focusing on workforce readiness.
OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Amazon are backing Raise US, a new nonprofit that aims to raise $1 billion to help American workers prepare for an AI-driven economy.
Raise US was founded by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. The organizatio recently announced that Bank of America has joined as its primary corporate sponsor.
The nonprofit said it has already secured more than $500 million in commitments from employers and philanthropic organizations.
Raise US plans to launch workforce initiatives in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, and Utah. It will work with state governments, employers, and education providers to expand AI skills training.
"America has a technology strategy for leading the global AI competition. It does not yet have a people strategy — and we cannot lead without one," Raimondo said in a statement.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in AI companies' priorities. For the past few years, the focus has been on building larger models, deploying more powerful chips, and expanding datacenter capacity.
Now, attention is beginning to shift toward people.
Businesses are rapidly adopting generative and agentic AI to automate routine work and improve productivity. That is raising questions about how AI will reshape jobs and what skills workers will need.
Although many organizations see AI as a tool to augment employees, there is growing recognition that some roles will change dramatically.
Rather than leaving that challenge solely to governments, several companies at the forefront of the AI race are investing directly in workforce development.
Raise US plans to support reskilling programs, career development initiatives, and partnerships that help workers adapt to an AI-powered workplace.
The initiative also brings together companies developing AI and businesses deploying it. Together, they will help design workforce transition programs.
Raise US said it will use AI-powered teaching, career coaching, and labor-market analytics to help workers navigate career changes. It also wants to encourage employers to retrain and redeploy existing employees rather than rely on layoffs.
For the AI industry, the initiative represents more than a workforce program. It signals a recognition that success in the AI era will depend not only on better models, but also on people having the skills to collaborate with them.
Raimondo said the stakes extend beyond technology itself.
"If we build the best AI systems in the world and leave millions of Americans behind, we won't have won anything. We'll have automated our own decline," she asserted.