As AI rapidly reshapes the jobs and lives of workers and their families, nonprofits and funders are also navigating what it means for their work and the communities they serve.  

Given Irvine’s North Star—a California where all low-income workers can advance economically—AI has raised the stakes for issues we care about deeply, from worker organizing and job quality to workforce practices and public sector accountability. That’s why we’re kicking off a blog series about Irvine’s work to advance a worker-driven approach to AI, in the hope that other organizations will find value in what we’ve learned. 

From AI literacy becoming a job requirement to shrinking pathways for young workers, automated scheduling, interactions with public systems, and rising costs of living driven in part by data centers, AI is increasingly affecting our communities. While the effects of AI are not set in stone, we believe workers paid low wages will face significant impacts, including displacement and limited access to reskilling opportunities, as many already encounter barriers to growth and advancement. And even if low-income workers are not displaced, job quality could decline significantly as companies increasingly use AI to evaluate performance and determine how work is done. AI-powered automation is already affecting workers in low-wage sectors such as warehousing, food service, and home care.

Many workers, especially those in non-union jobs, are already experiencing the effects of AI at work but lack the support or infrastructure to influence how these tools are developed and used. And it’s not just workers in traditionally low-wage sectors who are affected: U.S. data workers face working conditions similar to those of data workers in developing countries. White-collar workers also face the risk of displacement as companies further integrate AI into their operations. Moreover, many labor, civil rights, and privacy laws were not built for algorithmic decision-making, raising concerns about whether current safeguards are adequate.  

On the flip side, AI can help improve approaches to skill-building, allow workers to focus on or learn more about strategic tasks, and lower barriers to entry to entrepreneurship. Small business owners, in particular, can use AI to expand administrative capacity and manage operations. But to achieve these benefits, ensuring low-income workers and the organizations advocating with them can influence AI’s impacts is a must. 

That’s why the Irvine Foundation started exploring AI in 2023 to ensure AI technologies strengthen rather than undermine economic mobility for workers paid low wages. While Irvine has long supported workers affected by automation and algorithms, this exploration made clear that this new technological wave calls for dedicated investments. Since 2024, our AI cross-portfolio grantmaking has provided nearly $2.9 million in grants to 11 organizations to: 

• Increase awareness and understanding of how AI impacts low-income workers and what it will take to strengthen job quality and worker power 
• Support coalitions advancing public and private policy frameworks and sector strategies that emphasize worker-centered AI implementation and governance 
• Invest in human-centered AI solutions and pilots that address challenges faced by low-wage workers and families  
• Foster the capacity of workforce system so training providers, employers, labor, and community groups can develop solutions with workers as AI reshapes jobs 

We support organizations with approaches to AI that put workers first such as the National Domestic Workers Alliance, which developed Ask Aya—an AI-powered coach that provides personalized, real-time guidance to help domestic workers navigate conversations about wages, job responsibilities, and workplace protections. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy is developing guardrails to protect workers, engage unions and community organizations in city-decision making, and inform local regulations that promote accountability and responsible technology use.   

In addition, the Greenlining Institute is generating insights and policy strategies that ensure AI advances economic opportunity for low-wage workers and communities. Their work includes addressing the economic and environmental impacts of AI data centers, which will disproportionately affect low-income communities, including Irvine’s priority communities. This year, we will also expand our focus on strengthening California’s workforce system in response to AI-driven shifts.  

Lastly, as part of the Eyes on Open AI coalition, we are committed to holding OpenAI accountable to make sure that charitable assets and nonprofit governance in the AI field continue to benefit the public. Accountability at this level is critical to long-term public benefit, as foundational decisions about ownership, oversight, and charitable assets shape the incentives guiding AI development.  

As AI reshapes nearly every aspect of our lives, the urgency to act has never been greater. Meeting this moment requires equipping workers and the organizations advocating with them to influence and respond to AI’s impacts. This is our opportunity to define California’s next chapter and ensure workers in low-income jobs have the power to thrive.  

We look forward to sharing more about our AI work throughout the year. In an upcoming blog post, Lul Tesfai, Irvine’s Director of Program Development who leads our AI grantmaking and is a valued thought partner, will share lessons learned as we navigate how AI intersects with our North Star.