Workers take AI training into their own hands in New Jersey

First-in-the-nation program could be a national game changer, preparing workers to use AI while protecting jobs, privacy and human judgment

TRENTON, N.J. — 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 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 University 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 judgment.

“AI is changing the workplace whether working people have a say in it or not. We believe they deserve to have a say,” said New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech. “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 judgment.

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.

“This groundbreaking program ensures that working people have a say in how AI is used in their workplaces,” said Acting Labor Commissioner Kevin D. Jarvis. “AI should be a tool to empower workers, not replace human judgment and decision-making. We’re bringing workers, unions, educators and state government together to make sure technology works for people, not the other way around.”

A “train the trainer” component will prepare union instructors to teach the curriculum directly to workers across different industries and regions. The first group of participants will help test the training before it is expanded more broadly.

The program comes as New Jersey lawmakers consider S-4075/A-4981, legislation that would establish protections around employers’ use of AI and automated systems when making decisions about workers and job applicants.

The training is expected to begin in October 2026.