Labor

Uber's new "digital tasks" program lets drivers get paid for small jobs that help train AI models when they're not driving. The pilot program lets some U.S.

Resistance to AI is bubbling up among some workers, students, coders, and creatives. Some are placing new value on work that's untouched by AI. Some AI resisters worry about its carbon footprint.

Despite the federal government shutdown, states across the country are making strides on their own broadband and digital equity initiatives. Four states in particular caught our eye this week. Many of these initiatives were designed to work in tandem with federal investments, especially those created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or to fill gaps created by the sunsetting of crucial programs, like the ACP.

A broad coalition of philanthropic leaders announced Humanity AI, a $500 million five-year initiative dedicated to making sure people have a stake in the future of artificial intelligence (AI). As part of Humanity AI, ten of the nation’s most dynamic foundations supporting the arts, labor and work, democracy, education, and security will drive new investments toward establishing a people-driven future where AI delivers for humanity, strengthens communities, and enhances human creativity.

A key component of expanding access to high-speed internet, increasing the affordability of connectivity and devices, and providing meaningful digital skills training  is defining what it means to be digitally prepared. Recognizing that digital access alone is not enough, this project introduces the North Carolina Digital Skills Standards, a statewide framework that identifies  the essential knowledge and abilities residents need to engage in civic, economic, and social life.  The key six areas of focus are: 1. Digital Identity 2. Digital Wellbeing 3. Digital Relationships 4.

The Wireless Infrastructure Association has been provisionally selected for a $5 million Building the Texas Broadband Workforce Grant from the Texas Broadband Development Office to lead a comprehensive 4-year program to educate and train Texans for high-demand broadband careers. This statewide initiative directly addresses Texas’s most critical barrier to broadband expansion: a shortage of skilled fiber optic technicians required to meet BEAD deployment demands across the state.

How has AI impacted the labor market? Since generative AI was first introduced nearly three years ago, surveys show widespread public anxiety about AI’s potential for job losses. While it is impossible to accurately predict the future, we can examine how U.S. employment has changed since ChatGPT’s release in November 2022. A Yale University study indicates that the broader labor market has not experienced a discernible disruption since ChatGPT’s release 33 months ago, undercutting fears that AI automation is currently eroding the demand for cognitive labor across the economy.

The Fiber Broadband Association and NCTI unveiled the results of a joint workforce preparedness survey. The findings have been published in a paper titled, “Employer Workforce Preparedness in the Fiber Broadband Industry: How Build-Ready are We?” highlight the proactive steps many broadband service providers are taking to ensure a robust and skilled fiber-optic workforce. Key findings from the survey include:

Gigapower, the open-access fiber network joint venture launched by AT&T and BlackRock in May 2023, is experiencing significant challenges in its phase I deployment. Gigapower’s prime contractor in several states, Tilson Technology Management, blamed Gigapower for driving it into bankruptcy, a development that is just the most extreme of numerous problems stemming from Gigapower’s business model. The Communications Workers of America, which represents tens of thousands of frontline technicians at AT&T, has closely tracked the Gigapower build-out in various markets.

The Vermont Community Broadband Board is sponsoring a new session of its Broadband Technician Apprenticeship/Pre-Apprenticeship Training in partnership with North Country Career Center. It will be comprehensive training for an entry level broadband network technician. The three-week course will be offered in Montpelier starting September 17, 2025, and is available to participants at no cost. This is the fourth session of the training and is scheduled as Vermont is ready to make the final push on the state’s broadband buildout.