A new bipartisan nonprofit is launching with $500 million to help workers adapt to artificial intelligence, in one of the largest private efforts yet aimed at easing fears about job losses tied to the technology.

The group, called RAISE US, is led by former governors Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, and Eric Holcomb, a Republican. It says the money was raised from technology companies, major corporations and philanthropies, and will be used to support pilot programs in several states.

Among the corporate donors involved are Anthropic, OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, Bank of America, General Motors and Eli Lilly, according to the organization. The group plans to focus on retraining displaced workers and testing ways to reduce the economic strain that could come from faster AI adoption.

Raimondo, who served as commerce secretary under President Joe Biden after leading Rhode Island, said the project is intended to address growing concern that AI could cause serious labor market disruption. She said employers and executives are increasingly aware that a sudden rise in unemployment would create broader political and social problems.

The nonprofit has also attracted support from a politically diverse set of governors, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. Their involvement suggests the issue is drawing attention across party lines as states look for ways to respond faster than Washington.

RAISE US plans to try a range of early ideas during its first year. Those include expanding service-year programs in health care and education for young people and updating unemployment insurance so laid-off workers can get help starting businesses that use AI. The projects will be funded jointly by the nonprofit and participating states.

The advisory board brings together figures from labor, business and politics. It includes AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler, Blackstone chief executive Stephen Schwarzman, philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, former Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and former House Speaker Paul Ryan. Former Deloitte executive Janet Foutty will serve as president of corporate partnerships.

The group’s founders argue that existing institutions are not built for a labor market shaped by rapid technological change. They say schools are not producing enough workers with the skills employers want, and that unemployment insurance was designed for a more stable employment model rather than one in which workers may need to change careers repeatedly.

Holcomb said the effort will continue fundraising and aims to reach $1 billion in total donations over time. Even so, he suggested the need could outstrip the available funding if the program expands to more states.

The nonprofit said it will create an internal policy lab that will not take corporate money. That team will explore additional ideas, but the organization does not expect to take a central role in debates over taxes on AI companies, public wealth funds, government ownership stakes or direct cash payments to the public.

Raimondo said Congress should ultimately decide how to distribute the gains from AI. She also said she is not in favor of the government taking large ownership positions in companies, arguing that such arrangements could invite corruption.

The launch comes as technology leaders continue to debate how quickly AI will reshape the labor market. While many chief executives see the technology as transformative, some have recently moderated earlier warnings about an imminent wave of white-collar job displacement.