Dear Members of Congress, We believe that the time to prepare American workers and businesses for the AI-to-AGI revolution is now. On Monday, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) made 60,000 employees (approximately 27% of its workforce) eligible for voluntary buyouts amid record annual revenue, with its share price at historical all-time highs, and alongside unprecedented AI spending. These are offers, not terminations. And Microsoft has not attributed them directly to AI. Yet they reveal that even the most prosperous companies in history are fundamentally rethinking how work gets done, with dramatic implications for employment. We should not assume this approach is callous. Many organizations want to treat people with dignity. But even the most compassionate employers will face mounting pressure as emerging AI-native competitors deliver superior solutions powered by automation at dramatically lower costs. Furthermore, we should not assume that retraining alone will keep pace with rapidly advancing AI. Voluntary buyouts and involuntary terminations are now likely to race across the business landscape, and to expand during economic downturns. We will need to make it easier for Americans to find work, for businesses to offer it, and for workers to maintain financial stability through transitions. We propose the LIFT Act (Labor Income and Flexibility in Transitions), building on existing federal programs and bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Hawley and Warner in 2025. It could: 1. Radically simplify contract work. Make offering and accepting legitimate contract work nearly as easy as completing an online purchase. Create one-page standard agreements, streamlined registration, automated tax reporting, simple payments, and clear classification guidance. Reduce unnecessary paperwork, legal uncertainty, and compliance costs for businesses and workers alike, while preserving essential employee protections. 2. Make benefits portable. Simplify access to existing health insurance and retirement accounts across multiple clients, with voluntary contributions and options for client-funded benefits. 3. Protect incomes during transitions. Restore and modernize Trade Adjustment Assistance, including wage insurance, using existing workforce agencies to help eligible AI-displaced workers. 4. Measure AI-driven displacement. Build on the Hawley–Warner reporting proposal to identify affected jobs, industries, and communities, while recognizing that employment changes often have multiple causes. 5. Expand independent work opportunities. Use existing workforce centers to connect displaced workers with contract opportunities and optional entrepreneurship assistance. Some of these changes may require state and federal efforts to align. We shouldn’t wait for unemployment to surge. By preparing now, we might spare millions of Americans unnecessary financial hardship while continuing to strengthen our economy. The goal is not to prevent technological progress. It is to ensure that Americans participate in its prosperity. We write without partisan allegiance or any claim to having all, most, or even many of the correct answers. We simply urge both parties to work together and act this session. Respectfully, Fools
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