Ensure that your organization is staying up to date on AI-related regulations, especially at the state level.
Track developments from key agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Labor, which may release guidelines on ethical AI use, data privacy, and nondiscrimination.
The president’s AI governance prioritizes innovation, widespread adoption, and preparing the American workforce for an AI-driven economy, with the broader goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in AI development.
The administration frames AI as a national and economic security priority and warns that fragmented state laws could hinder innovation, interstate commerce, and competitiveness. Initiatives aim to promote AI literacy, accelerate innovation, and expand AI infrastructure, encouraging businesses, schools, and local governments to upskill workers and support displaced employees. SHRM underscores the need for consistent regulations and sustained workforce investment to ensure a smooth, worker-focused transition while meeting rising demand for AI skills.
Executive Actions
President Donald J. Trump Unveils National AI Legislative Framework (Mar. 2026)
The administration issued a national AI legislative framework outlining key policy objectives. The framework addresses children’s safety, AI infrastructure, enabling innovation, ensuring U.S. AI leadership, educating Americans, and developing an AI-ready workforce. It positions the federal government to establish consistent national policies intended to advance innovation, expand access to AI tools, and prepare the workforce for an AI-driven economy. The framework emphasizes that U.S. leadership in AI will rely on accelerating technological development, building national AI capabilities, and aligning workforce readiness with the evolving demands of AI adoption.
Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence (Dec. 2025)
The executive order directed federal agencies to identify state AI laws the administration deemed burdensome, challenge them in court, and lay the groundwork for national standards. The executive order framed AI as a national and economic security priority, viewing fragmented state laws as threats to innovation, commerce, and competitiveness. The executive established an AI Litigation Task Force under the Attorney General to target conflicting state laws and advise on emerging legislation. It emphasized innovation over precautionary regulation, asserted federal baseline rules, and relied on national security, commerce, and constitutional arguments, using litigation and funding to achieve uniformity.
Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan (Jul. 2025)
America’s AI Action Plan rests on three pillars: innovation, infrastructure, and international diplomacy and security. It aims to leverage data to connect workers with AI skills, support workforce transitions, and protect jobs through strategic policies and investments. The plan outlines near-term federal policy goals, including building AI infrastructure and energy capacity. Led by agencies like the departments of the Labor and Commerce, it also identifies critical roles and highpriority AI occupations to advance U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.
In response, SHRM Head of Government Affairs, Chief of Staff, and Corporate Secretary Emily M. Dickens, J.D., said, “The president’s plan is not just about technology — but about people. The emphasis is on a worker-first approach that addresses American competitiveness in an AI-driven workforce. The plan reflects a fundamental truth that SHRM has long championed: Technology alone does not move the workplace forward — people do.”
Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth (Apr. 2025)
This executive order establishes U.S. policy to promote AI literacy and proficiency by integrating AI into education, providing comprehensive training for educators, and exposing students early to AI concepts. By fostering AI competency, the order aims to develop an AI-ready workforce and nurture the next generation of American innovators. Investing in U.S. educators and students ensures they remain globally competitive by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital and technological landscape.
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (Jan. 2025)
This executive order establishes the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to bring together leading experts from academia, industry, and government. PCAST will advise the president on science, technology, education, and innovation policy, helping chart a path to strengthen American leadership in these fields during this critical moment.
Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence (Jan. 2025)
This executive order revokes prior AI directives and directs White House offices to develop an action plan promoting innovation and competitiveness. Agencies, as appropriate and consistent with the law, are required to suspend, revise, or rescind previous AI-related actions or propose changes. If immediate finalization is not possible, the assistant to the president for science and technology and agency heads must promptly provide all authorized exemptions under existing orders, rules, regulations, or policies until the changes can be implemented.
Workplace Impact
These initiatives signal a federal push to centralize AI governance while promoting widespread adoption, innovation, and workforce readiness. The administration encourages local governments, businesses, and educational institutions to implement large-scale upskilling and reskilling programs, especially for workers whom automation and AI-driven changes impact. The framework urges schools to update curricula and provide professional development for educators, while it expects employers to invest in training, partnerships, and AI-integrated operations to remain competitive.
As AI becomes more embedded in workplaces, experts expect some job displacement, but demand for AI-literate and technically skilled roles will grow. SHRM supports the need for uniform federal regulations and sustained workforce investment to ensure organizations and workers can successfully navigate this transition.
Action Items for Employers
- Conduct a company-wide assessment to identify areas where AI and automation can improve efficiency while complementing human roles.
Prioritize the integration of AI tools that augment employee performance rather than replacing human jobs.
Involve key stakeholders, including HR, operations, and technology leaders, to create a roadmap for AI implementation that aligns with business goals and workforce development needs.
Evaluate current benefit offerings to address critical needs for upskilling and reskilling workers for the anticipated AI-driven changes. SHRM’s “2024 AI in the Workplace” research found that 83% of HR leaders identify upskilling as critical in today’s AI-driven economy, and 76% of U.S. workers emphasize the necessity of acquiring new skills.
Emphasize the demand for uniquely human skills like creativity, adaptability, and critical thinking when considering how AI and automation will fit into the workplace.
Communicate openly with employees about the organization’s AI integration strategy, emphasizing the benefits and opportunities it creates.
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