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Change and disruption are coming at us at an unprecedented pace. The speed and intensity of change is magnified this year as President Trump has moved quickly to implement his agenda. The pendulum swing in many spheres such as border security, immigration enforcement, public health funding, public health policy, energy policy, tariff policy, tax policy, the use of the military in policing, university research funding, national security posture and more is enough to make your head spin.
While today these political changes get most of the headlines and attention, it is the disruptions and change that artificial intelligence will bring that will have more long-term economic and societal implications. Just as the inventions of mainframe computers and PCs disrupted industries and brought change to everyday life (and later the internet, mobile devices, cloud computing and robotics), AI will disrupt existing power structures and businesses, bringing new opportunities for many and economic displacement and challenges for some. Austrian economist Joseph Shumpeter coined the term “creative destruction” to describe the disruption in the workforce that always comes with technological advancements.
We are at the beginning of the creative destruction lifecycle when it comes to jobs impacted by AI. AI will touch (and in many cases transform) every industry. Most economists agree that the American economy is already experiencing productivity gains as a result of early adoption of AI by many companies. Certain jobs have already been eliminated by AI (and new jobs created). Whether AI will create net new jobs is a hotly debated topic among economists, as is the education that will be required for the jobs of the future.
According to a study by the Strada Education Foundation and the Burning Glass Institute, 72% of all jobs in the U.S. will require education or training beyond high school by 2031. Given that only 51.7% of Indiana high school graduates today pursue education beyond high school, this statistic is alarming. But the answer is not higher education for the sake of higher education. Students, parents, educators, career counselors and policy makers must make prudent decisions given the impact AI will have on the available jobs of the future.
Some college graduates are already experiencing a tougher jobs market as AI is eliminating jobs that previously would have gone to recent college grads in finance, information technology and professional services. According to a recent Burning Glass Institute report, young college grads face unemployment rates higher than any other cohort, with 50% landing jobs that didn’t require a college degree.
I side with economists who believe that, like technological advancements of the past, AI will be a net jobs creator. However, we must work to align our education system to ensure we have a workforce in Indiana ready for the quickly shifting jobs market.
More Indiana high schools must expand digital literacy programs and adopt apprenticeship programs in partnership with local industries that provide students with early pathways and connections and help them learn the basics of showing up on time and being prepared to work.
Ivy Tech Community College must expand industry partnerships and adapt its curriculum to the ever-changing needs of industry, including AI literacy.
And Indiana’s colleges and universities must train all students—regardless of their major—on AI and data ethics. Critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and adaptability skills must be taught, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning.
Indiana can lead in the age of AI by aligning education, industry and innovation to build a future-ready workforce.•
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Feltman is publisher of IBJ and CEO of IBJ Media. He’s also an Indy Chamber board member. Send comments to [email protected].
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