AI Advocacy Battle Grips Washington as Tech and Labor Vie for Influence

Silicon Valley and labor unions hold dueling events to shape the future of artificial intelligence policy

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:05pm

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In a week of AI forums across Washington, D.C., the tech industry and labor unions held competing events to advocate for their vastly different visions on how the government should regulate the rapidly advancing technology. The tech-backed 'Hill and Valley Forum' focused on accelerating AI development and military adoption, while the AFL-CIO-sponsored conference highlighted concerns about AI displacing workers and called for stronger safeguards. The advocacy battle underscores the high stakes as lawmakers prepare to craft national AI legislation.

Why it matters

The fight over AI policy in Washington reflects the enormous economic and geopolitical implications of the technology. Tech giants plan to spend hundreds of billions on AI this year, but their investments have also sparked public backlash over issues like job losses and environmental impact. Policymakers must balance the industry's push for rapid advancement with growing concerns from labor unions and civil society about the potential harms of AI.

The details

The dueling events this week highlighted the stark divide between the tech industry's vision for AI and the labor movement's concerns. The invite-only 'Hill and Valley Forum' featured top executives and Trump administration officials extolling the virtues of AI and calling for less regulation to maintain the U.S. lead over China. In contrast, the AFL-CIO's conference saw labor leaders and some lawmakers strategizing how to fight back against AI's threat to displace workers. The events came just days after the White House released a blueprint for national AI legislation that took a lighter regulatory touch, sparking concerns from critics that it prioritized industry interests over worker protections.

  • On March 25, the 'Hill and Valley Forum' was held at a historic auditorium in Washington, D.C.
  • Two days later, on March 27, the AFL-CIO-sponsored AI conference took place at a hotel ballroom in D.C.

The players

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence research company that was one of the sponsors of the 'Hill and Valley Forum'.

Alphabet Inc.

The parent company of Google, which also sponsored the 'Hill and Valley Forum'.

AFL-CIO

The largest federation of unions in the United States, which organized the labor-focused AI conference.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president, who has made accelerating AI development and quashing state-level AI rules a key part of his economic agenda.

Michael Kratsios

The White House Science and Technology Policy Director, who will co-chair a new presidential technology council focused on AI policy.

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What they’re saying

“This forum was founded to basically end this Cold War between Silicon Valley and the Hill.”

— Delian Asparouhov, Partner at Founders Fund and president and co-founder of Varda Space Industries

“We're fed up with the focus on the tech companies, which are in full view right now, basically running our government. We're fed up with these other casts of characters who don't talk about work and workers.”

— Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO

What’s next

The White House plans to appeal a court order that blocked the Pentagon from declaring Anthropic, an AI provider, a supply chain risk due to the company's demands for additional safeguards on military use of its technology. This decision will likely further shape the ongoing debate over AI regulation and the role of the government in overseeing the technology's development.

The takeaway

The advocacy battle over AI policy in Washington reflects the high stakes as the technology continues to advance rapidly. While the tech industry pushes for less regulation to maintain the U.S. lead, labor unions and some lawmakers are calling for stronger safeguards to protect workers and the public. Policymakers will have to navigate these competing interests as they work to craft national legislation that balances innovation and oversight.