AWARE Act

119th Congress Introduced by Tim Walberg

The bill directs the BLS to begin collecting and reporting AI usage in the workplace, adding AI metrics to labor statistics within 18 months.

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Purpose and intent

HR 9381, titled the AI Workforce Assessment and Research Enhancement Act (AWARE Act), directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to collect and report on the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace.

The bill recognizes AI as having the potential to alter labor demand, tasks, hiring, training, wages, and work organization, and seeks better data to inform policymakers, educators, employers, workers, and researchers.

Key provisions and changes

Amendment to the Fairly longstanding labor statistics framework:

Section 4 of the Act establishing the Department of Labor would be amended to require full and complete statistics on the usage of AI in labor conditions, products, and distribution.
The definition of labor statistics would explicitly include data on the usage of AI (as defined by the National AI Initiative Act of 2020).
The second sentence of Section 4 would be amended to insert AI usage alongside traditional metrics, adding the AI usage dimension to employment data (in addition to total hours of employment).

Data collection mandate:

The BLS must begin collecting statistics on AI usage described in the amendments.
The initial collection must occur no later than 18 months after enactment.

Definition:

The term “artificial intelligence” follows the definition provided in the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401).

Who/what is affected

Primary federal data collection and reporting authority: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), part of the Department of Labor.

Stakeholders who would benefit from improved data:

Policymakers evaluating workforce and economic implications of AI.
Educators and workforce training providers adapting curricula and upskilling programs.
Businesses deploying AI technologies and assessing labor needs.
Workers and labor organizations seeking insights on AI-related tasks, training, and employment effects.
Researchers analyzing labor market trends related to AI adoption.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Legislative history:

Introduced in the House on June 22, 2026 (Mr. Walberg as sponsor; co-sponsor noted).
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Reported amended by the committee with a final “Ordered to be Reported” action on June 25, 2026 (yea/nay 19–14).

Implementation timeline:

The BLS is required to initiate the new AI usage statistics collection within 18 months after enactment.
The bill specifies that data should cover AI usage in labor conditions and the distribution of AI-enabled products, integrating AI metrics with existing labor statistics.

Definitions:

AI is defined consistently with the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, ensuring alignment with federal AI policy terminology.

Potential impact and considerations

Strengthened data framework: The bill would create a dedicated stream of AI-related labor statistics, filling gaps in current data related to employer adoption, worker use, task changes, training needs, and employment effects.

Policy and workforce planning: Better AI-related data could inform projections, training programs, and policy responses to technological change in the workplace.

Measurement challenges: As with any new statistical domain, reliable measurement would require robust survey design, respondent participation, and alignment with existing data collection activities across government programs.

If you’d like, I can add a concise one-page briefing with bullet-point takeaways for policymakers or a comparison with existing BLS data practices.