Artificial Intelligence Education and Workforce Readiness Act of 2026

(a) Establishment. The Secretary of Education shall establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible consortia to develop and implement artificial intelligence-disrupted career pathways.

(b) Requirements. An artificial intelligence-disrupted career pathway developed using a grant under this section shall—

(1) include—

(A) training in—

(i) the humanities and social sciences; and

(ii) artificial intelligence literacy and governance; and

(B) opportunities for work-based learning for which participants receive wages or stipends, including—

(i) apprenticeships;

(ii) pre-apprenticeships;

(iii) internships; or

(iv) cooperative education;

(2) lead to the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential; and

(3) be responsive to regional labor market demand data with regard to identifying relevant and emerging competencies and needs related to workforce talent.

(c) Eligible consortium. In this section, the term eligible consortium means a consortium that includes at least 1 of each of the following:

(1) A local educational agency or State educational agency.

(2) An institution of higher education or area career and technical education school.

(3) An employer, industry or sector partnership (as defined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 3102)), or joint labor-management organization (as such term is used in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)).

(4) A local board or State board.

(d) Priority. In awarding a grant under this section, the Secretary of Education shall prioritize an eligible consortium that proposes to develop and implement an artificial intelligence-disrupted career pathway that—

(1) serves participants from an underserved community;

(2) includes an apprenticeship; or

(3) is focused on in-demand and emerging roles and skills, as determined by the Secretary of Education.

(e) Reports. Not later than 1 year after the date on which such grant is awarded, and annually thereafter during the period of such grant, each eligible consortium receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Education a report satisfying the following:

(1) Describe the outcomes of each artificial intelligence-disrupted career pathway developed and implemented by such eligible consortium during the period of such report.

(2) Include the following information, disaggregated by protected characteristics of participants in such pathways:

(A) The number of participants in such career pathway.

(B) The percentage of such participants who complete such career pathway within the expected period of completion, as determined by such eligible consortium.

(C) The percentage of such participants who, not later than 6 months after completing such career pathway, obtain employment in an occupation not designated as an artificial intelligence-augmented occupation on the list published under section 4.

(D) The percentage of such participants who, not later than 6 months after completing such career pathway, obtain employment in an occupation designated as an artificial intelligence-augmented occupation on such list.

(E) The Standard Occupational Classification codes for occupations in which such participants obtain employment.

(F) The percentage of such participants who remain employed 12 months after beginning such employment.

(G) The median income earned by such participants in such employment.

(3) Include only data that are—

(A) aggregated; and

(B) anonymized.

(f) Publication. Upon receipt of the report described in subsection (e), the Secretary of Education shall publish aggregated data from such report in a publicly accessible, online format.

(g) Compliance. Each eligible consortium receiving a grant under this section shall be subject to the requirements under section 6.