Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots, announced Monday that he was pleased to join more than 200 economists and artificial intelligence (AI) researchers in signing “We Must Act Now: A Statement on AI’s Transformation of the Economy.”
According to the statement, artificial intelligence may become significantly more powerful within the next decade.
This development could result in an economic transformation surpassing the scale of the Industrial Revolution, but occurring over a much shorter period.
While such advancements present risks, including widespread job displacement, they also offer opportunities for substantial improvements in living standards.
Economists, policymakers, and technology leaders are urged to establish appropriate incentives, safeguards, and institutions to guide AI development in ways that complement human capabilities and promote societal well-being.
For 50 years, Career Communications Group has united employers, educators, community organizations, and talent to address critical workforce challenges.
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms industries and professions, CCG recently hosted a panel featuring a mathematics professor, an AWS instructor, and a corporate solutions architect pursuing a PhD.
The discussion centered on workforce readiness and competitiveness in the AI era.
Panelists included Krystal Porter, a PhD student and solutions architect specializing in technical solutions for healthcare, defense, and intelligence; A. Boyd, an AWS instructor with extensive experience in tech support, system administration, and business intelligence; and Dr. Talitha Washington, executive director of the Center for Applied Data Science & Analytics at Howard University and co-chair of the President's AI Advisory Council.
Workforce readiness and competitiveness in the AI era.
Dr. Washington emphasized the foundational role of mathematics and data science in AI, stating, “Mathematics is the queen of sciences.”
Boyd explained core programming concepts and highlighted evolving coding practices, including tools like Amazon Kiro that streamline requirements and design.
He also described how AI is automating recruitment processes.
Dr. Washington identified emerging roles such as data center technicians and materials scientists, stressing the importance of critical minerals in technology manufacturing and encouraging careers that leverage human creativity and intuition.
Porter highlighted the ongoing need for human oversight in large-scale data processing.
The panel addressed the mathematical foundations of neural networks and the potential of quantum computing.
Boyd noted that AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude could have simplified his early career tasks.
Dr. Washington discussed the importance of embedding human traditions in large language models.
Boyd recommended Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions to improve AI accuracy by grounding responses in authoritative external knowledge.
Porter led discussions on natural language processing, image and facial recognition, and generative AI, sharing her experiences with AI ethics and governance.
Audience questions addressed developer responsibility for AI outcomes and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Porter emphasized initiatives such as STEM City USA to teach K-12 students about AI and close the skills gap, and mentioned efforts to educate older adults on responsible AI.
The panel agreed on the importance of including diverse perspectives in AI development, noting the National Science Foundation’s efforts to increase participation.
Workforce readiness and competitiveness in the AI era.
The conversation also covered certifications, with Boyd encouraging AWS certifications and Washington recommending resources like the Students' Corner and IBM SkillsBuild.
The panel discussed ethical challenges in facial recognition, including bias against people with dark skin, and the need for inclusive model development.
Washington highlighted the limited availability of critical minerals and the importance of considering resource use in AI infrastructure.
As AI adoption grows, the panel stressed the need for universities and organizations to adapt, develop guidelines, and focus on effective implementation to protect consumers.
Career Communications Group now offers certification for teachers, youth instructors, and other professionals.
The certification includes youth workbooks and a teacher's guide focused on AI and NEXTGEN technologies. This initiative is partially funded by the Maryland Department of Labor.
Registration is now open for the AI NEXTGEN America and Futurist Awards Conference, October 9-10, 2026.
This event is organized by Career Communications Group's WOC STEM Conference, BEYA STEM Conference, STEM City USA, and Hispanic Engineer & IT magazine.
During the 100-day countdown to the conference, Career Communications Group launched the Futurecast by AI NEXTGEN America, a podcast that extends the work done through the AI NEXTGEN America Conference and its commitment to advancing AI training and workforce readiness.
The podcast focuses on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, machine learning, and emerging technologies, emphasizing how these innovations affect the workforce and how professionals, students, educators, and leaders can prepare for the future.
Futurecast invites listeners to conversations that shape the future.
Each episode explores the fast-moving world of AI, quantum computing, machine learning, and emerging technologies through the voices of experts who build, study, and apply them.
Futurecast makes complex technologies accessible and actionable by covering industry innovation, workforce transformation, upskilling, career readiness, ethics, and real-world applications.
Futurecast is designed for professionals, students, leaders, educators, and lifelong learners, helping audiences understand how intelligent technologies are changing the workforce and which skills will be essential in the future.
Tune in for expert insights, forward-looking discussions, and practical guidance on adapting to and preparing for future opportunities.
Join us for hands-on training at the AI NEXTGEN America Conference, October 9-10, at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Click here for more information.
New episodes of Futurecast by AI NEXTGEN America are released every Thursday morning.
The podcast is available in audio format on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Introducing the Ai NexTGen America Conference and Futurist Awards, a platform designed to link employers, talent, and training systems to speed up hiring, reskilling, and workforce mobility within the AI economy.
The main issue is no longer adopting technology but ensuring workforce readiness.
The AI NexTGen Conference gathers employers, educators, workforce organizations, and talent to tackle the most pressing challenge of the AI economy: developing the workforce.
This represents an investment in future competitiveness. The AI NextGen America Conference.
