The Department of Labor Does AI 101

On March 24, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) launched its “Make America AI-Ready Initiative” with a seven-day artificial intelligence (AI) literacy course brought to learners via text messages on their cellphones. The course, developed through a public-private partnership between DOL and education technology company Arist, is intended to introduce the workforce to basic AI literacy concepts so all workers can “benefit from the opportunities that the AI economy presents,” according to U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. DOL’s course is designed to support the five foundational content areas outlined in its recently released AI Literacy Framework and serve as a “starting point for American workers in their AI journey.” DOL’s AI literacy course is intended to be a baseline platform—meant for all workers across occupations, skills, and levels of educational attainment—through which anyone can learn to use AI. The course poses interesting questions about how to upskill and reskill workers, how the federal government views AI use on the job, and how to work with the current limitations of generative AI tools.