More than two dozen technology companies, major employers, and philanthropies have committed over $500 million to help American workers train for new jobs, remain employed as their roles change, and recover financially from disruption caused by artificial intelligence.

The funding supports RAISE US, a new nonpartisan organization led by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. The organization plans to raise $1 billion in multiyear commitments and test workforce programs in partnership with state governments, employers, educators, and researchers.

Amazon, Anthropic, Microsoft, and the OpenAI Foundation are anchor partners. Bank of America, IBM, Mastercard, AMD, Eli Lilly, General Motors, Cisco, Workday, and other employers and philanthropies have also joined the coalition.

RAISE US will initially work with Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, and Utah. Its programs will be evaluated based on whether workers find and retain jobs, increase their earnings, and advance professionally.

In Arkansas, the organization is supporting Arkansas LAUNCH, an AI-powered career platform connecting students and job seekers with personalized training and employer-linked career paths. In Maryland, it will help expand service-year programs into healthcare and education, create a fund for new career-transition models, and establish an accelerator for displaced workers interested in starting businesses.

Other pilots will test wage insurance for people who accept lower-paying positions, short-time compensation that helps employers retain workers during periods of reduced hours, and incentives for companies to retrain and redeploy employees. RAISE US will also support apprenticeships and other programs that allow workers to earn income while learning skills for fields such as healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Bank of America will serve as the primary corporate sponsor of the advanced manufacturing apprenticeship initiative.

“America has a technology strategy for leading the global AI competition,” said Raimondo, who serves as Chief Executive Officer of RAISE US. “It does not yet have a people strategy, and we cannot lead without one.”

Labor representatives will participate alongside corporate and government leaders. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler serves on the organization’s Advisory Board, while an independently funded Policy Lab will study the pilot programs and recommend which models should expand. Corporate contributions will not fund the Policy Lab’s work.

“Working people belong in every room where decisions about their jobs and their futures are being made,” Shuler said.

Workforce retraining initiatives have historically produced uneven results, making employment outcomes central to RAISE US’s plans. Programs that help workers secure jobs, raise their earnings, or advance professionally could receive additional private and philanthropic funding and expand into more states. The initiative’s success will ultimately depend on whether its $500 million commitment translates into better jobs and greater financial security for workers whose careers are being reshaped by AI.

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