AFL-CIO President Calls for Labor Role in AI Governance

The president of the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation in the United States, has issued a direct challenge to the current trajectory of artificial intelligence development. Speaking at a mid-September Vatican conference, Liz Shuler argued that corporate executives are making unilateral decisions that impact hundreds of millions of workers without their consent. She described this exclusion as a failure of democratic process in an era where technology is reshaping the global economy.

Shuler stated that the lack of a comprehensive plan for managing the social consequences of AI is a critical gap in current policy. She emphasized that the labor movement is uniquely positioned to address the threat of rapid job contraction, which she identified as the most significant challenge facing organized workers today. By aligning with the Catholic Church, she sought to frame the issue not just as an economic competition, but as a moral imperative to protect human dignity in the face of technological change.

Labor and Church Align on AI Risks

The convergence between the AFL-CIO and the Vatican was highlighted during the conference, where participants discussed the intersection of faith and labor rights in the Americas. Shuler praised Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, for its explicit recognition of the fear surrounding job loss and its impact on families and local economies. She noted that the document’s call for shared regulations resonated strongly with labor leaders, describing it as a text that felt like it could have been written by the union itself.

According to the National Catholic Reporter, Shuler views the Church as providing essential validation for the labor movement’s stance that humanity must remain at the center of the AI revolution. She argued that the Pope’s leadership signals a necessary global shift in attention, particularly among populations that are currently marginalized or overlooked in high-level tech discussions. This alliance offers a counter-narrative to the prevailing focus on geopolitical competition, instead prioritizing the protection of workers who may be displaced by automation.

Existing Partnerships Offer Practical Models

Shuler pointed to recent agreements between labor organizations and major technology companies as evidence that collaborative frameworks are possible. In 2023, the AFL-CIO established a partnership with Microsoft that included sharing information about AI development with labor leaders and creating a framework to protect workers' rights to organize. These agreements are presented as tangible examples of how businesses and unions can work together to embed ethical considerations into the development process, rather than debating ethics only after the fact.

Warning Against Ignoring Human Impact

Pope Leo XIV addressed the conference participants on September 12, warning against a form of progress that ceases to serve the individual. He cautioned that technology can deepen social divisions if it is not carefully managed to protect the dignity of work. The Pope emphasized that the success of any consensus on AI should be measured by the interests it protects, particularly those of communities that are cast aside or forced to the edge of poverty due to technological displacement.

The trade-off highlighted by both Shuler and the Pope is the tension between rapid economic growth and social stability. While tech executives often prioritize speed and competitiveness, the labor and religious perspectives advocate for slower, more deliberate development that accounts for human welfare. This approach requires a fundamental shift in how value is defined, moving beyond pure profit metrics to include the long-term health of families, young people, and local economies.