Press Releases

Today, Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) delivered the following statement, as prepared for delivery, at the third hearing in a series examining artificial intelligence, titled "Building an AI-Ready America: Safer Workplaces Through Smarter Technology": 

"Today’s hearing will focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies are improving efforts to keep America’s workers safe and healthy. 
 
"AI-powered safety tools are moving safety management from a reactive, incident-based approach to a preventive, data-driven model. Wearable sensors on personal protective equipment can monitor hazards—like heat stress and exposure to hazardous materials—and alert workers before conditions become dangerous. Predictive analytics can forecast where accidents are most likely to occur, catching hazards before those hazards lead to accidents rather than afterwards. 

"Understanding how these technologies work will help Congress better understand how they can be used to address workplace safety.
 
"The impact could be immense. Fewer injuries mean healthier workers, increased worker recruitment and retention, lower costs, and stronger business operations, all while ensuring America’s workers receive the highest standard of safety on the job.
 
"We also know that where there is new technology, there are important considerations that go along with it. Whether it is AI today or another groundbreaking technology that has emerged in the past, employers should take the necessary steps to understand best practices and proper implementation. These tools can be invaluable for augmenting worker safety, but there must be space for human oversight, and employers should be wary of delegating ultimate responsibility for worker safety to AI. 
 
"Moving forward, the adoption of these technologies raises important questions. How can the effectiveness of these tools be validated? How can all parties involved—including employers, employees, and unions—understand technology’s role as part of safety practices? What safeguards are necessary to protect worker privacy while still allowing meaningful data collection and analysis? These questions directly affect trust, adoption, and long-term success.
 
"As we have heard throughout this Committee’s series of AI hearings, effective policy must strike a careful balance between considering these questions without stifling innovation and compromising our nation’s technological competitiveness. In the context of AI systems designed to protect workers on jobsites, there is no margin for error, and one oversight can be the difference between life and death.  
 
"Ultimately, AI and advanced technologies offer the opportunity to make workplaces safer than ever before. By balancing protection with progress, technology can improve productivity and actively protect people across industries.
 
"I look forward to hearing from today’s witnesses to understand the real-world applications and impact of these technologies."

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