SUTHERLAND INSTITUTE STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD

Ford Copple
Tech Policy Analyst
Sutherland Institute
Salt Lake City, Utah

The Impact of AI on the Workforce

Senate HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building
July 29, 2026

I. Introduction

On behalf of the Sutherland Institute, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement for the record regarding the hearing topic, “The Impact of AI on the Workforce.” While national discourse often focuses on the controversies and potential risks of AI and the infrastructure that powers AI models, it frequently overlooks a critical reality: Artificial intelligence is already improving life for working Americans through its impact on education, government, health care, and family life. Additionally, new data centers are providing real workforce benefits for Americans.

In February 2026, the Sutherland Institute released a report titled “25 Ways AI is Helping People Flourish”, authored by myself and Derek Monson. This report outlines a pro-human approach to artificial intelligence that seeks to empower workers with better tools and enable problem-solving at an unprecedented scale. One purpose of the report is to encourage policymakers to ensure that any regulatory framework does not jeopardize the proven pro-human benefits that AI is already delivering. It is contradictory to call AI safeguards pro-human if they eliminate the present or future benefits of this technology to human beings.

We adapted the findings of this report to focus on the beneficial impacts of AI for Americans in the workforce.

Read the full report PDF by clicking the button below.