Artificial Intelligence and Critical Technology Workforce Framework Act of 2025
The Artificial Intelligence and Critical Technology Workforce Framework Act of 2025 would expand the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) role to create and maintain formal workforce frameworks for critical and emerging technologies, including a dedicated framework for artificial intelligence (AI). It imposes new duties on the NIST Director to develop, maintain, and periodically update these frameworks, and to consult broadly with industry, government, academia, labor groups, and others. It also requires ongoing updates to the existing NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, and it directs development of additional frameworks (with AI as a mandatory framework within about 1.5 years). The bill emphasizes professional and employability skills, cross-cutting support roles (like ethics, privacy, HR, policy), pathways for learners including nontraditional backgrounds, and multilingual resources to support global adoption. Overall, the bill seeks to formalize and systematize how the U.S. defines, updates, and uses workforce frameworks to bolster education, training, and workforce development in AI and other critical technologies. Potential impacts include: clearer career pathways and credential guidance for workers across tech fields; expanded government coordination with industry and education on workforce needs; a structured, periodically refreshed taxonomy of AI and other tech skills; and broader inclusion of nontraditional education/backgrounds in technology careers. It may also entail new reporting duties to Congress and potential implications for training programs and funding aligned to these frameworks.
Key Points
- 1Expansion of NIST functions to develop and maintain workforce frameworks for critical and emerging technologies, with a goal of bolstering education, training, and workforce development; frameworks must be developed in collaboration with industry, government, nonprofits, labor groups, and educational institutions; updates are required at least every 3 years.
- 2Mandatory AI workforce framework: Within not less than 540 days after enactment, the Director must develop and publish a workforce framework for AI, including AI-specific work roles, competency areas, professional/employability skills, and consideration of individuals with nontraditional backgrounds; it must include supporting components such as administration, law/policy, ethics, privacy, HR, IT, OT, supply chain security, and procurement.
- 3NICE Cybersecurity framework updates: The Director must, within 180 days, report to Congress on how the NICE Framework for Cybersecurity will be updated, and subsequently provide ongoing reports describing the update process, stakeholder consultation, and incorporation of new work roles and competency areas; there is a recurring reporting requirement every 3 years for up to 9 years.
- 4Additional workforce frameworks and model: The Director must assess the need for additional frameworks (e.g., quantum information science) within 180 days and develop frameworks for any identified needs; the AI framework is specifically required within 540 days; frameworks should follow an established model (potentially the Playbook for Workforce Frameworks) and include cross-cutting roles, professional skills, and guidance for nontraditional entrants; updates must be made and Congress informed.
- 5Cross-cutting resources and inclusion: Frameworks must include multilingual resources to support global adoption and provide guidance on career pathways, credentials (degrees, certificates, certifications), and how individuals with nontechnical backgrounds can transition into these roles; continued dissemination of career exploration resources for cybersecurity and related fields.