A bipartisan push to expand artificial intelligence training across the federal workforce gained momentum last week as lawmakers introduced legislation building on a broader White House initiative to integrate AI education throughout American schools and workplaces. The convergence of federal policy, industry pressure, and state-level action reflects growing consensus that AI literacy has become essential for economic competitiveness.
Representatives Nancy Mace and Shontel Brown introduced the AI Training Extension Act of 2025 on June 3, expanding mandatory AI education beyond procurement workers to include federal managers, supervisors, and technology staff. The bill updates training requirements established in 2022, requiring instruction on AI capabilities, risks, privacy considerations, and data management across government agencies.
The legislation follows President Trump's April executive order establishing the Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force, which has 90 days to develop a Presidential AI Challenge showcasing student and educator innovation12. The task force, led by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, includes secretaries from Education, Agriculture, Labor, and Energy departments.
"To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation's youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology," the executive order stated1.
Federal agencies must now prioritize AI initiatives in education grants and develop public-private partnerships to create online resources and training programs within 180 days2.
More than 250 CEOs from companies including Microsoft and American Airlines have signed an open letter urging state policymakers to mandate computer science and AI education for all K-12 students1. The executives cite studies showing one high school computer science course can boost early career earnings by 8 percent and warn that countries like China and South Korea are advancing faster with mandatory AI curricula.
States are responding with their own initiatives. Utah's legislature established an AI in Education Task Force this year, while Siena College professors report assisting local high schools amid a national shortage of computer science teachers12.
Recent surveys indicate 60% of educators already use AI daily in their classrooms, with adoption expected to increase as younger teachers enter the workforce12. A Carnegie Learning report found growing optimism about AI's potential among educators, though concerns about cheating and privacy persist3.
"AI is here to stay — and we must ensure federal employees at every level are trained to use it wisely, safely, and effectively," Brown said of the federal training expansion4.
