ALBANY, N.Y. (WBNG) \u2014 Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday launched the next phase of her FutureWorks Commission, kicking off a series of public listening sessions focused on how artificial intelligence will impact workers and industries across New York.<\/p>\n
The initiative\u2019s first session focused heavily on women in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles, which experts warn are among the most vulnerable to automation and AI integration. In New York, women make up 84% of the workforce in administrative back-office roles, which have traditionally served as a reliable pathway to the middle class.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to make sure that we in New York are prepared to manage this, especially for women in the workforce,\u201d Hochul said during the session. \u201cAnd all of you are part of that conversation here today. I want to hear from all of you on what you\u2019re seeing, feeling, experiencing and how we ultimately came up with our recommendations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 20-member commission, co-chaired by former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and Molly Kinder of the Breakwater Initiative, is tasked with researching tech impacts, identifying real-time data strategies, and proposing policy safeguards for small businesses and workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will position New York as a real leader in how we manage the impact on our residents,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cDoes it involve making sure that the next generation is AI-competent so they can take the jobs that require some knowledge of AI? Is it finding out other skills and the jobs that we think are being more AI-proof?\u201d<\/p>\n
State lawmakers praised the focus on workforce equity. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, D-Queens, emphasized that technology must serve to strengthen economic security, noting that \u201cworkers deserve a real voice in shaping what comes next.\u201d State Sen. April N.M. Baskin added that the state must ensure the benefits of AI are shared equitably across low-income communities and small businesses.<\/p>\n
The commission is scheduled to deliver its final policy and private-sector recommendations by the end of the year, setting the stage for new legislative proposals in 2027.<\/p>\n
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