(TRENTON, NEW JERSEY) - More than 2,500 miles from Silicon Valley, New Jersey Workers are claiming a seat at the table in one of the biggest debates shaping America’s future: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change the way people work - and who will have a say in shaping that change.

Rather than waiting for Technology Companies and employers to write the rules, Workers, State Officials and Educators are joining forces to help Working People understand AI, use it on the job and protect themselves from its risks.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Rowan College of South Jersey are launching the Nation’s first Statewide AI Training Program developed with Workers and Unions at the table.

The initiative could provide a national model for helping Workers benefit from AI without allowing the technology to dictate the future of work without them.

The program will teach Workers how to use AI on the job while preparing them for risks ranging from biased hiring systems and workplace surveillance to job displacement and the replacement of human judgement.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said: “AI is changing the workplace whether Working People have a say in it or not. We believe they deserve to have a say. Workers should know how to use new technology to make their jobs safer and more productive. They should also know their rights and how to protect themselves when that technology is used unfairly.”

The initiative offers a Worker-focused alternative to AI training developed solely by Technology Companies or employers.

Union Members who are already seeing AI introduced in their workplaces will help shape what is taught and how the training is delivered.

Participants will learn how employers are using AI to screen job applicants, track productivity, evaluate performance and make other decisions affecting Workers.

They will also receive practical training in how to use AI tools without giving up their own experience, expertise or judgement.

Funded through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the program will be developed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and Rowan College of South Jersey. The training is expected to begin in October 2026.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO represents more than one million Union Members and is a Chartered State Federation of the National AFL-CIO, which represents more than 12.5 million Workers nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Press Release: Workers Take AI Training Into Their Own Hands in New Jersey - NJ AFL-CIO