As artificial intelligence continues its rapid march into every corner of the workforce, a growing chorus of voices is calling for a careful balance between innovation and the protection of human jobs. On February 4, 2026, in both Detroit and Sacramento, the conversation around AI’s impact on employment took center stage—one driven by industry insiders advocating adaptation and another by labor unions demanding robust safeguards.
Chris Willis, a veteran in the AI space with nearly a decade of experience, painted a nuanced picture in an interview with FOX 2. Willis, who once co-founded Hour Detroit magazine before moving into the tech world with the company Domo, has watched the AI revolution unfold from the inside. He’s seen the technology evolve at a breakneck pace, outstripping even the wildest predictions. “It has to be a proactive approach,” Willis advised, emphasizing that regions like Detroit—long defined by their automotive industries—are hardly immune to technological upheaval. “This is no different, but it’s happening at a scale and speed…that is unparalleled.”
Willis’s core message is both a warning and a beacon of hope. While AI is here to stay, he believes the secret to job security lies in what makes us uniquely human: judgment, creativity, and curiosity. “What we really focus on is helping organizations pull together all of their information and all of the people, so that AI is not guessing,” Willis explained. “Without the right information, AI is just kind of an expensive roll of the dice.”
He’s not alone in his sense of urgency. Sam Altman, the founder of ChatGPT, recently admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the pace of AI’s progress—a sentiment Willis finds relatable. “If the top researchers and the people who are building these tools feel behind, it’s really very reasonable to feel that way as well,” Willis noted. But he doesn’t see this as a reason to panic. Instead, he argues, it’s an opportunity for workers to lean into their strengths. “Decision-making. That is where…the workforce can set themselves apart.”
Willis sees the most effective future workplaces as ones where humans and AI collaborate, not compete. “It’s going to be human + AI, and I think it also requires a rethinking of what is human intelligence and how is it different than AI intelligence,” he said. For those feeling uncertain, his advice is clear: embrace curiosity, get familiar with the technology, and always remain innovative. “It’s going to require investigation and innovation. And I think that’s something that a lot of organizations might not be great at.”
But as some businesses have discovered, the rush to adopt AI isn’t without pitfalls. Willis described an “AI hangover,” where companies that went all-in on automation and cut staff are now realizing the limitations of the technology. “AI is really great at generating things, but it’s not great at judgment,” he said. The lesson? Workers shouldn’t try to outpace AI, but rather fill the gaps it leaves—and that means doubling down on the qualities that machines lack.
Meanwhile, in Sacramento, the debate over AI’s role in the workplace has taken on a more urgent, political tone. Labor unions, led by Lorena Gonzalez of the California Federation of Labor Unions, gathered near the state Capitol to urge Governor Gavin Newsom and lawmakers to act swiftly. Their message was unequivocal: unchecked AI threatens not just jobs, but the dignity of human work and the very fabric of democracy.
“This is a priority for the entire nation,” Gonzalez declared at a news conference. She warned that Governor Newsom, rumored to have presidential ambitions, would be judged by his response to the AI challenge. “He cannot spend his time waiting to be done in California and think he’s not going to get questions about the true issues surrounding AI, Big Tech and the Big Tech billionaires that are trying to buy our government.”
The unions aren’t just raising alarms—they’re backing a package of bills designed to put guardrails around AI’s use in the workplace. Senate Bill 947, authored by Sen. Jerry McNerney, would require human oversight whenever an algorithm is used to discipline or fire an employee. Senate Bill 951, from Sen. Eloise Gomez Reyes, would mandate a 90-day advance notice for AI-driven layoffs affecting at least 25 workers or 25% of a company’s workforce. And Assembly Bill 1331, championed by Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, would ban surveillance devices in workplace bathrooms, with a $500 penalty for violations.
Gonzalez and her allies argue that meaningful safeguards can’t be achieved by simply “working it out” with employers. She pointed to a recent incident where a Waymo self-driving taxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school as evidence of the risks posed by unregulated AI. “We are not going to be able to achieve guardrails by working with bosses who want no guardrails,” she said. “It is time that the governor engages with workers in the workplace. Every AI convening he does, everybody he’s pulled together is [representing] AI and Big Tech lobbyists.”
Joining Gonzalez was Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, along with labor leaders from across the country. Shuler called the rise of AI “the most urgent issue that we [as workers] are facing,” adding, “This is a crisis and no one is prepared.” In a joint letter to Newsom, the union leaders made a passionate plea: “There is dignity in human work that is the foundation of a healthy, productive democracy. The future of our economy and our society cannot be left to the unchecked whims of profit driven technology corporations and billionaires.”
Governor Newsom’s office pushed back on the criticism, touting California’s record as the most worker-centered state in the nation when it comes to AI. “No Governor has done more than Governor Gavin Newsom to regulate AI in a way that protects workers without killing jobs or innovation,” spokesperson Tara Gallegos told the Los Angeles Times. “Under his leadership, California has taken the most comprehensive, worker-centered approach to AI in the country.”
The public’s anxiety is palpable. According to a Pew Research Center survey from last year, 50% of U.S. adults say they are “more concerned than excited” about AI’s growing presence in daily life, a notable jump from 37% in 2021. The data underscores a national mood of unease—and a desire for thoughtful action.
What’s clear is that the AI revolution is no longer some distant possibility. It’s here, and it’s forcing hard questions about how we value work, protect workers, and foster innovation. Whether through creative adaptation, as Willis advocates, or through legislation and activism, as the unions demand, the challenge is the same: finding a path forward that harnesses AI’s promise without sacrificing what makes us human.