Four of the fiercest competitors in artificial intelligence have done something unusual: pooled resources behind a shared cause. OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Amazon, rivals racing to build the most powerful AI models, have all signed on as anchor backers of RAISE US, a new nonpartisan nonprofit launched on June 25 with more than $500 million raised and a goal of reaching $1 billion.
The initiative takes direct aim at a problem the AI industry has largely sidestepped: the impact its technology is having on American jobs.
What Is RAISE US?
RAISE US is co-chaired by Gina Raimondo, former US Commerce Secretary, and Eric Holcomb, former governor of Indiana. Beyond its AI founding partners, the coalition also includes Bank of America, General Motors, IBM, Eli Lilly, Mastercard, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The initiative is not merely aimed at financing additional training programs. RAISE US states that it will experiment with state-level workforce policies, employer incentive structures, career transition assistance, and AI-powered educational tools, then expand the strategies that produce lasting employment and increased wages. The initial pilot projects will be launched in Utah, Arkansas, Maryland, and Connecticut.
The initiative comes at a time when concerns are growing that AI could reshape the workforce faster than governments and employers are prepared to handle. US job postings requiring AI skills surged 144% year-on-year as of April 2026, reflecting the rapid adoption of the technology across industries. Former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the country has a strategy for leading the global AI race but lacks a comprehensive plan to prepare its people for the transition.
Although advocates view the initiative as a crucial move to reskill workers, doubts persist about whether such programmes can match the speed and scale of disruption that AI may cause. Past retraining efforts have produced uneven outcomes, and the wider discussion over how the economic benefits of AI should be distributed is still unresolved. Nevertheless, the launch indicates that some of the world’s largest technology companies are becoming more prepared to take an active role in equipping workers for an AI-focused economy.
Questions remain over whether the initiative can match the scale of AI-driven disruption. Retraining programmes have historically delivered mixed results, and critics continue to debate how the gains from AI should be shared. Even so, the launch signals that major technology companies are increasingly taking a direct role in preparing workers for the transition to an AI-driven economy.