The Senate Labor Committee heard a range of testimony this week on how artificial intelligence is likely to affect Minnesota's economy and workforce, with witnesses urging a balance between encouraging innovation and protecting vulnerable workers.

Supporters of proactive policy said AI can automate repetitive tasks and help address expected job openings by augmenting human labor. "We face a future with more expected job openings than available workers. AI can help bridge this gap by augmenting human labor," a testifier said.

Other witnesses warned that early AI deployments are “adding to workers' workloads, and not increasing productivity,” and that lower-wage workers, women and less-educated workers are most likely to be displaced by 2030. Several speakers urged that any regulation be data-driven and narrowly tailored to avoid unintentionally driving employers and jobs out of Minnesota.

Committee discussion emphasized the need to shape AI adoption to enhance economic opportunity rather than exacerbate inequality. One participant urged government to “tread lightly and make sure that the data is there to justify any restrictions.”

No specific statutory proposal was adopted in the Labor Committee segments reviewed; lawmakers said further study and careful policy design will be needed to weigh labor protections, workforce training and business competitiveness.