Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, SENATE NEWS—Sanders urges HELP Committee to call Bezos for testimony on workforce impacts of AI, robotics, (Mar 24, 2026)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

Sanders noted in his letter that 30 percent of American jobs could be wiped out by new technologies.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) formally requested a public hearing to compel Jeff Bezos to testify regarding plans that Sanders says could “replace the millions of workers who are employed” in factories across the U.S. with robotic systems. In a letter addressed to Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, Sanders described a rapidly accelerating landscape of automation and artificial intelligence, noting that advancements in robotics, automation, and AI “will have a profound impact on the lives of virtually every worker in America,” framing the committee’s responsibility as ensuring that emerging technologies “benefit working families” rather than serving as tools to enrich “the wealthiest people in the world.”

Jobs vulnerable to disruption. Sanders cited recent estimates from Cognizant asserting that “93 percent of American jobs are now vulnerable to some level of disruption as a result of AI” and that “30 percent of all jobs in our country could be wiped out altogether” by such technologies. The letter quotes Cognizant, which reported, “We underestimated the impact of this technology. What we projected might take until 2032 to unfold is happening now before our eyes.” The letter also referenced a report noting efforts by Bezos to raise $100 billion to purchase factories nationwide for the stated purpose of replacing human labor with robots. Sanders identifies these developments as a key source of public concern, writing that “the American people are increasingly apprehensive about the impact that AI and robotics will have on the economy and their lives.”

Need for congressional oversight. Sanders argued that congressional oversight is imperative. He urged that Bezos be required to explain in a public hearing “why he believes it’s a good idea to replace millions of American workers with robots” and called for detailed examination of potential worker impacts. Among the questions Sanders wants Bezos to address are whether displaced workers would receive a generous severance package; whether they would be able to maintain their health care benefits; whether displaced workers would be able to receive a decent retirement plan—or whether workers would “simply be thrown out on the street in order to make Mr. Bezos even richer[.]”

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