On May 15, Penn State’s Labor School and its Al Learning Collaborative, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, sponsored a one-day conference on What Union Leaders Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence.
Attended by over 60 union leaders, labor researchers, and academics, the conference focused on the impact of artificial intelligence(Al) and other digital technologies on workers, now and in the future.
Conference speakers included some of the top university and union experts on Al. Speakers in the first session attempted to “demystify Al” by discussing what it is and how it has the potential to impact jobs. In a second session, several frontline workers and union staff shared stories about how Al is impacting their work.
Another session brought together policy experts from several unions to discuss the necessity for state and federal legislation and regulations to protect workers from the negative impacts of Al and communities from the building of large data centers.
The Conference included two workshops. One workshop focused on collective bargaining strategies and language for establishing guardrails for the implementation and administration of Al. A second workshop discussed the necessity of unions engaging members about Al so they can have a voice in its use in their workplaces.
A common theme reiterated by many of the speakers was that in order to safeguard future jobs and working conditions, unions must proactively educate and mobilize members around Al. In addition, they discussed the necessity of unions identifying areas where Al and other digital technologies offer value and then drive the creation of worker-centered applications.
Union leaders from twelve international unions, the national and Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, and local labor councils, along with faculty from Penn State and three other academic institutions, attended the Conference.
Overall, the one-day conference provided practical information and strategies for local union leaders to use in dealing with Al. It also connected those in attendance with key union and university staff and encouraged attendees to make use of them in the future. It was one of the first conferences in the nation designed to equip local union leaders to deal with the introduction of Al in workplaces.
Looking ahead, Penn State’s Learning Collaborative on Al for Union Leaders, which in 2025-2026 conducted three webinars on what healthcare union leaders need to know about Al, will conduct again conduct webinars on Al for healthcare unions and union leaders in 2026-2027 and we will expand our offerings to include webinars on Al for all unions as well. For more information, visit the Learning Collaborative’s website (URL above).
Ben Begleiter is Assistant to the President for Technology and the Future of Hospitality Work at UNITE HERE.
Steve Catanese is the elected President of SEIU Local 668
Jodi Forlizzi is the Herbert A. Simon Professor in Computer Science at Carnegie-Mellon University.
Lisa Kresge is a Senior Researcher in the Technology and Work Program at the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center
Tamara Lefcowitz is the Coordinator of the United Steelworkers’ Health Care Workers Council.
Michael Maguire is the Political and Legislative Director for AFSCME Council 13.
Michelle Miller is the Director of Innovation for the Center for a Just Economy at Harvard University
Dan O’Neil is a former Chief Steward and Executive Board member of SEIU Local 668.
Silas Russell is the Executive Vice President for Policy and Research at SEIU Healthcare PA.
Jon Schless is the President of The News Guild, an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America.
Rob Weil is the CEO of the National Academy for Al Instruction and Director of Research, Policy and Field Programs for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Crystal Weise is the Policy and Programs Director at the AFL-CIO Tech Institute.
Bryan Wynn is an International Vice-President and National Bargaining Director for the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).
This conference is jointly sponsored by the PA AFL-CIO and The LABOR School at Penn State.
199 Fischer Rd
University Park, PA 16802
Includes the program, lunch, and breaks