A.I., Congress, and the Future of Work: What We Can Do Right Now
- Deniece Smith - Our Mettaverse
- Nov 14
- 4 min read
By Deniece Smith
In listening to Congressmen Steven Horsford and Sam Liccardo speak in-person in Palo Alto today about AI, I was struck by something simple and human: everyone is trying to understand something that is moving faster than any of us can fully grasp. There were reflections of the same mix of urgency and uncertainty that every industry is feeling.
Rather than judge any potential lack of technical knowledge, I found myself asking a different question:
How can we help them help us?
AI is not just a technology story. It is a story about workers, families, national security, infrastructure, immigration, innovation, and how we prepare our society for the next era. And that means all of us—business owners, educators, technologists, parents, policymakers—have a role to play.
Here are the most important themes I took away from today’s discussions, and ideas for where we can go from here.
1. We can’t expect Congress to regulate something they don’t understand. We need to help educate them.
Most lawmakers are not technologists. They weren’t trained for this moment. But the decisions ahead of them are enormous.
We can help by advocating for:
Plain-language briefings that translate AI into concepts everyone can understand
Hands-on demonstrations that show how AI affects healthcare, education, national security, small businesses, and the workforce
Input from real communities, not just tech giants
Good leadership depends on informed leadership.
2. We need clear questions before we can have clear regulation.
Instead of rushing to legislate, we should focus on the essential questions:
How do we prevent harmful misuse without blocking innovation?
Who is responsible when AI causes an error?
What standards belong in healthcare, finance, transportation, and other critical sectors?
How do we protect national security?
How do we retrain workers whose roles will shift or disappear?
How much energy, water, and fiber infrastructure do we need to support AI?
The answers to these baseline questions will create clarity instead of chaos.
3. Innovation can’t be smothered, but it can be guided.
If regulations are too heavy, the private sector will simply outpace them—or leave the country entirely. If they’re too light, we risk harm, inequality, and national vulnerability.
The goal is a middle path:
Guardrails without shackles.
Businesses will support:
smart, focused rules
unified national standards
safety expectations for high-risk systems
collaboration on workforce retraining
This balance protects the public while keeping innovation alive.
4. We must take workforce displacement seriously—and compassionately.
There was a clear recognition today that millions of workers will be affected: drivers, administrative staff, analysts, and many roles in between.
This isn’t just an economic challenge. It’s an emotional one. People facing job loss go through:
fear
identity disruption
confusion
grief
uncertainty about where they fit in the future
The answer is not panic. It is a transition. Transition with support will decrease much unnecessary negative results.
We need:
retraining partnerships between companies, schools, and government
incentives for upskilling
emotional support for navigating such a profound shift
community-based programs that help people regain agency
It is one of the great responsibilities of our era to help workers step into the future with dignity.
5. Immigration reform is essential if the U.S. wants to stay competitive.
Many tech leaders quietly agree: our immigration pathways are outdated. If innovation is the race, talent is the fuel. We need business voices supporting:
more H-1B visas
simpler processes
pathways for AI-related expertise to enter and contribute
We cannot lead with a shortage of skilled workers. Businesses need to step up and make this point heard more loudly and clearly.
6. AI requires massive infrastructure—and we need a plan for it.
AI consumes:
water
power
fiber
land
As data centers multiply, the questions of environmental impact, energy policy, and sustainable growth must be front-and-center.
Communities need to understand these trade-offs. Leaders need clear strategies. This cannot be an afterthought.
7. We need new opportunities for innovation—not fear of it.
If we resist change, we will fall behind. If we embrace it blindly, we will stumble. But if we engage with curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to build together, we can create a future that lifts people up rather than leaves them out.
The private sector cannot solve this alone.
Government cannot solve this alone.
Communities cannot solve this alone.
But together, we can create:
new industries
new skill pathways
new opportunities for people to thrive
new economic footholds in the coming era
Workforce development will be one of the most important investments we make.
8. A hopeful reminder
One of the most meaningful lines I heard today was simple:
“You are worth the opportunity to go forward.” We must let our workforce know that they have support. We must reach to them to retrain them, uplift them, and create a path of hope.
That belief is at the root of every good policy, every healthy company culture, and every compassionate community.
AI will reshape our world—but so will the way we respond.
If we bring clarity instead of panic, cooperation instead of conflict, and purpose instead of partisanship, this transition can lead to extraordinary possibilities.
Deniece Smith is the founder of a compassion community called Our Mettaverse. She is also a Realtor in Los Altos, California.
Comments