What the Research Shows: AI, Workers, and Small Business—A Briefing featuring AI Research and Resources from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market and small business landscape in ways that reach directly into the communities asset-building funders serve. Lower-income workers—6 million of whom are already in highly AI-exposed jobs—are concentrated in the office and administrative support roles, nonprofit organizations, and health and social service industries that AFN members fund. Whether AI expands or contracts economic mobility for these workers is not a technological inevitability. It is determined by the choices that policymakers, institutions, and funders make right now.

In this webinar, researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Community Engagement and Analysis team will present their latest findings on AI’s real-time impacts on lower-income workers and small businesses—and what those findings mean for grantmakers. Participants will gain a grounded, data-backed understanding of which workers and industries face the greatest AI exposure; what AI adoption looks like among small businesses as a wealth-building pathway; how nonprofit organizations are being affected; and why flexible philanthropic funding is emerging as a critical factor in how well communities can adapt.

Join us on Wednesday, August 19, 10:00am PT to explore what the evidence demands of asset-building philanthropy at this moment.

Resources

On-the-Job Exposure to AI Among Lower-Income Workers
State Data on Lower-Income Workers and Exposure to AI (Interactive Tool)
Early Findings on Small Business Use of AI
Community Investments

Speakers

The speaker list is under development.

Accessibility Statement

Captioning will be provided. If you have any other accessibility requests or questions, please email Beth Yeap at beth@assetfunders.org. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be received by August 4, 2026, to ensure our ability to meet your request.