SHRM Responds to the President’s AI Action Plan and meets with Top White House AI Advisor

On July 23, the White House released its AI Action Plan, outlining a national strategy to prepare the U.S. workforce and economy for the continued advancement and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies. The plan focuses on skills development, workforce readiness, and reducing regulatory barriers — factors that align with long-standing priorities for HR professionals and workplace leaders.

In response, SHRM 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.”  

SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, “has long emphasized that the future of work demands both innovation and purpose,” SHRM continued. “The combination of human intelligence and artificial intelligence is key to building a resilient, high-value workforce. SHRM research shows 74% of U.S. workers view AI as a complement to human talent, with strong support for transparency and shared responsibility in its use.”

SHRM’s statement also emphasized that “The future of work depends on getting three things right: people, preparation, and policy. SHRM is leading workforce transformation by keeping people at the center of innovation, raising awareness of agile training programs, and driving real-time, cross-sector policy solutions for a future-ready workforce.”

Following the release of the AI Action Plan, the next day, SHRM Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs Emily M. Dickens, J.D., met with Dr. Lynne Parker, principal deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Parker shared details about the federal government’s efforts to support AI education, infrastructure, and innovation while emphasizing the importance of workforce development and public-private collaboration. SHRM discussed opportunities to provide employer perspectives and HR-specific use cases during the regulatory review process. The conversation also covered strategies to address AI displacement and ways SHRM can collaborate with the administration to ensure workforce policies reflect real-world needs.