What if learning AI was as easy as checking your messages?
A new Labor Department course aims to bring AI lessons to US workers without asking them to buy new tech or sit through long training sessions. Axios reports the free “Make America AI Ready” program will be delivered by text message, giving the rollout a direct and unusually accessible format.
The program is for US workers who are still unsure about AI, with the Labor Department packaging the lessons into a one-week mobile course. Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said the program is meant to give workers a chance to learn the foundational skills needed to benefit from the opportunities AI may bring.
One week, one phone, one way into the subject
Workers can join by texting “READY” to 20202, with the Labor Department also offering a desktop sign-up option. The course works on any cell phone, including basic flip phones, and the department says that phone numbers used for enrollment will not be shared with third parties.
From there, the program runs in short daily installments of about 10 minutes, with interactive lessons sent straight to users’ texts. When the week ends, participants are directed to additional resources to build their skills or explore AI-related careers.
February laid the groundwork for today’s course
The rollout follows a Labor Department AI literacy framework released last month. Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling called the push an effort to “help demystify AI for American workers.” The framework laid out five core content areas and seven delivery principles, and ‘Make America AI Ready’ closely follows that earlier structure.
The February release also referenced earlier guidance on using Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding and the governor’s reserve monies to help people develop AI skills.
What workers will learn over seven days
The course is split into daily lessons that move from basic understanding to practical use. Over seven days, workers are introduced to what AI can do, how to work with it more effectively, and how to assess its outputs before putting them to use.
- Days 1-2: Understand AI principles. The lessons open with the basics: what AI is, what it can do, where its limits lie, and the foundational knowledge workers need before moving into practical use.
- Day 3: Explore AI uses. The topic moves into use cases, looking at different AI tools and where they can fit alongside human work.
- Days 4-5: Direct AI effectively. This part covers providing AI with the right context and writing prompts that lead to better results.
- Day 6: Evaluate AI outputs. Workers are then taught how to assess the accuracy and relevance of results and how to revise or improve what the system returns.
- Day 7: Use AI responsibly. The final day focuses on safe, accountable use, including protecting sensitive information and using the technology ethically.
By day seven, workers have moved from introduction to practical use and closer evaluation of AI outputs.
The White House has unveiled an AI framework that could reshape the balance between federal oversight and state regulation.