Women hold roughly 84% of administrative back-office jobs in New York, and those positions are among the most vulnerable to AI-driven disruption. That stark reality is why Governor Hochul Launches FutureWorks Commission Listening Sessions as Part of Plan to Address AI Workforce Impacts Across New York, starting with a session focused on working women in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles. The commission, a 20-member blue-ribbon body chaired by former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and Brookings scholar Molly Kinder, will hold sessions statewide and deliver comprehensive policy recommendations by the end of 2026.
How Governor Hochul Launches FutureWorks Commission Listening Sessions as Part of Plan to Address AI Workforce Impacts Across New York
The listening sessions formally launched on August 19, 2026, as the “next phase” of Hochul’s AI and workforce strategy. The governor’s announcement frames this effort as a nation-leading approach to addressing AI’s impact on workers, combining expert analysis with direct worker input.
The first session focused on working women in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles, reflecting concern that these traditional pathways to the middle class are at risk. Sessions will continue statewide over the coming weeks, engaging workers from diverse backgrounds, small businesses, and other stakeholders. Feedback from these sessions will directly inform both policy proposals and private-sector recommendations.
Hochul has a track record of tackling major challenges facing New York families, from public health crises to gun violence prevention. The FutureWorks Commission extends that approach to the emerging threat of AI-driven job displacement.
What Is the FutureWorks Commission and What Does It Do?
The FutureWorks Commission is a blue-ribbon panel created by Governor Hochul in March 2026 to study how AI is transforming New York’s labor market and recommend policies that protect workers while harnessing AI’s potential. Governor Hochul launched the commission as part of her broader “AI and the Future of Work” agenda, warning that “almost no line of work is immune” from AI’s reach.
The commission is chaired by three prominent leaders:
- Tom Perez, former U.S. Secretary of Labor
- Thasunda Brown Duckett, CEO of TIAA
- Molly Kinder, a scholar at the Brookings Institution
Its mandate includes spotting sectors where AI could cause severe disruption, identifying areas where AI can create new higher-quality jobs, and recommending policies and investments to shift workers into those opportunities. The commission’s membership was announced with an explicit goal of ensuring that workers, families, and small businesses benefit from AI, not just large corporations.
Common mistake to avoid: Assuming the commission is anti-technology. Its goal is to manage AI adoption so it boosts productivity without leaving early-career and vulnerable workers behind.
How Will AI Impact Jobs in New York According to Hochul?
Governor Hochul has warned that AI could “literally eliminate many entry and mid-level jobs” that serve as gateways to the middle class. Research cited by the administration indicates that more than 30% of workers could face significant disruption or displacement from AI. In New York City alone, entry-level corporate jobs fell by approximately 37% between 2022 and 2024.
Hochul’s messaging stresses a dual goal: AI “can and must be a force for good,” but left unmanaged, it could trigger an economic and societal crisis. The administration positions New York as wanting to be “on the front lines” of AI governance for workers, shaping state laws, regulations, and incentives so that AI adoption boosts productivity without leaving early-career and vulnerable workers, as Spectrum News reported.
What Is New York’s Plan to Prepare Workers for AI Changes?
New York’s plan centers on the FutureWorks Commission delivering a comprehensive set of recommendations by the end of 2026. These recommendations will include “real-time data strategies” to monitor AI’s impact on workers and specific interventions to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared broadly.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is pressing major companies for detailed disclosures on how AI is changing jobs, including positions created, eliminated, or restructured, and how firms are retraining workers. This data will complement the qualitative insights from the FutureWorks listening sessions, as City & State reported.
The plan also includes identifying sectors where AI can create new, higher-quality jobs and recommending training and upskilling investments to help workers shift into those roles.
Who Can Attend the FutureWorks Commission Listening Sessions?
The listening sessions are open to workers from diverse backgrounds, small business owners, and other stakeholders across New York. The governor’s office has emphasized that feedback from these sessions will directly inform both policy proposals and private-sector recommendations.
The first session focused on working women in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles, as Axios reported. Future sessions will broaden to include other worker populations, industries, and regions across the state.
Decision rule: If you work in a role that involves repetitive tasks, data entry, customer service, or administrative functions, you should consider attending or submitting input, as these are the categories most immediately affected by AI.
What Skills Will Workers Need as AI Changes New York Jobs?
Workers will need a combination of technical fluency with AI tools and the human skills that AI cannot easily replicate, such as critical thinking, adaptability, and interpersonal communication. The commission’s mandate includes recommending training and upskilling investments to help workers shift into roles where AI creates new opportunities.
The commission’s final recommendations by the end of 2026 are expected to include concrete guidance on which skills are most at risk of automation, which skills are becoming more valuable, and what training programs are needed. Making those programs accessible to workers across the state, including in rural areas and small cities, is a priority.
How Is New York Different From Other States on AI Workforce Planning?
New York is positioning itself as a national leader by launching a formal, governor-led commission with a specific mandate to deliver policy recommendations within a defined timeframe. While other states have explored AI regulation or established task forces, New York’s approach combines a blue-ribbon panel of national experts with a grassroots listening tour designed to capture worker experiences directly.
The state is also unique in pairing the commission’s qualitative work with Comptroller DiNapoli’s push for corporate disclosures about AI’s impact on jobs. This dual approach, combining top-down data collection with bottom-up worker input, sets New York apart from states that have focused primarily on either regulation or economic development without a worker-centered framework.
What Happened at Previous FutureWorks Commission Sessions?
The first FutureWorks Commission listening session took place on August 19, 2026, focusing on working women in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles. The session highlighted that women hold approximately 84% of administrative back-office jobs in New York, a category identified as especially vulnerable to AI-driven task reshaping and potential job disruption.
Before the listening sessions began, the commission was launched in March 2026 with an advisory event where Hochul outlined her concerns about AI’s impact on workers. The membership was announced subsequently, and the listening sessions represent the first phase of direct public engagement.
How Can I Get Involved in the FutureWorks Commission?
Workers, small business owners, and community members can get involved by attending listening sessions as they are announced across the state. The governor’s office is publicizing session details through its website and media channels. Feedback gathered at these sessions will directly inform the commission’s policy recommendations.
For residents of the Mohawk Valley and upstate New York, this is an opportunity to ensure that rural and small-city perspectives shape AI workforce policy. Local organizations and community networks can help amplify worker voices in regions that are sometimes overlooked in state-level policy discussions, much like local transportation expansions have brought new economic connections to the Utica area.
What Industries in New York Are Most Affected by AI According to This Plan?
The commission has identified several categories of work as particularly vulnerable to AI disruption:
| Industry/Role | AI Vulnerability | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and clerical | High | 84% held by women in NY; gateway to middle class |
| Customer service | High | AI chatbots already handling routine inquiries |
| Entry-level corporate | High | NYC entry-level jobs fell 37% from 2022 to 2024 |
| Data processing | Medium-High | AI tools automating analysis tasks |
| AI development | Low (growth area) | New jobs being created |
The commission also aims to identify sectors where AI could create new, higher-quality jobs, such as AI system development, data governance, and roles requiring complex human judgment.
What Funding Is New York Allocating for AI Workforce Training?
Specific funding allocations for AI workforce training have not yet been announced as part of the FutureWorks Commission’s work. The commission’s recommendations, due by the end of 2026, are expected to include specific investment proposals for training and upskilling programs.
Hochul’s broader economic development agenda has included significant state investments in workforce development, and the AI initiative is expected to build on those existing programs. The commission’s final report will likely recommend both public funding levels and private-sector investment commitments.
What Are Common Concerns About AI and Jobs in New York?
Common concerns include the displacement of entry-level and mid-level workers, the erosion of traditional pathways to the middle class, and the risk that AI benefits will flow primarily to large corporations rather than workers and small businesses. Workers also worry about the pace of change, with AI tools being adopted faster than training programs can adapt.
The commission is designed to address these concerns directly by gathering worker input and translating it into policy recommendations. Hochul has acknowledged that if left unmanaged, AI could trigger an economic and societal crisis.
How Will This Commission Help Displaced Workers Retrain?
The commission’s mandate includes recommending specific interventions to help workers who are displaced by AI retrain and transition into new roles. These recommendations will be informed by the listening sessions and are expected to include training programs, upskilling investments, and policies that create pathways from disrupted jobs to emerging opportunities.
The goal is to ensure that workers, families, and small businesses benefit from AI, not just large corporations. The commission is tasked with identifying both risks and opportunities, then recommending policies and investments to help workers shift into sectors where AI creates new, higher-quality jobs. This focus on working families echoes Hochul’s broader agenda, which has included support for displaced populations and addiction recovery funding.
FAQ
What is the FutureWorks Commission?
A 20-member blue-ribbon panel created by Governor Hochul in March 2026 to study AI’s impact on New York’s workforce and recommend policies that protect workers while harnessing AI’s potential.
When did the listening sessions start?
The first session was held on August 19, 2026, focusing on working women in administrative and clerical roles. Additional sessions will follow across the state.
Who chairs the FutureWorks Commission?
Former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and Brookings scholar Molly Kinder serve as co-chairs.
When will the commission deliver its recommendations?
The commission is tasked with delivering a comprehensive set of recommendations by the end of 2026.
Can anyone attend the listening sessions?
Yes. The sessions are open to workers, small business owners, and community members across New York. Details are announced through the governor’s office.
What percentage of workers could be affected by AI?
Research cited by Hochul’s office indicates that more than 30% of workers could face significant disruption or displacement from AI.
Why did the first session focus on women?
Women hold approximately 84% of administrative back-office jobs in New York, a category identified as especially vulnerable to AI-driven disruption.
What is Comptroller DiNapoli’s role?
DiNapoli is pressing major companies for detailed disclosures on how AI is changing jobs, including positions created, eliminated, or restructured, and how firms are retraining workers.
Conclusion
Governor Hochul’s launch of the FutureWorks Commission listening sessions marks a significant step in New York’s effort to address AI’s impact on workers. The commission’s work over the coming months will shape policies that could determine whether AI serves as a tool for broad economic opportunity or a force that widens inequality.
For residents of the Mohawk Valley and across upstate New York, the listening sessions offer a real chance to make sure your voice is heard. Here is what you can do:
- Watch for session announcements on the governor’s website and local news outlets
- Attend a session if one is scheduled near you, especially if you work in an affected industry
- Contact your state representatives to express support for worker-centered AI policies
- Share your experience if AI tools are already changing your workplace
- Stay informed by following the commission’s progress and final recommendations
The future of work in New York is being decided right now. The question is whether workers will have a seat at the table or be left out in the cold. The FutureWorks Commission listening sessions are your opportunity to claim that seat.
