The types of workers and skills necessary for long-term growth in Northern Kentucky are changing. Regional economic leaders point to AI as a major cause, but say there is a lot of work to be done to develop the skills to use and continue to develop the technology.
The discussion was part of this month’s NKY Chamber of Commerce “Eggs ‘N Issues” — a monthly breakfast for members and guests to listen to discussions on relevant issues of the area.
In partnership with regional economic development company BE NKY, a panel analyzed the new trends affecting Northern Kentucky’s economy. Findings of BE NKY’s first “NKY Economy in Review” drove the discussion.
Lee Crume, BE NKY president and moderator, said the review found a gap in the Northern Kentucky economy’s performance compared to the rest of the region. Through this discovery, Crume said they determined it’s not enough to just have a high number of people in the labor force; there needs to be a high level of productivity as well. This is where leaders say AI can play a role.
How AI is changing the labor market
Crume said that two factors are changing today’s workforce: demographic shifts and the rise of AI.
Abdullah Al Bahrani, associate professor of economics at NKU, said immigration policy is one reason why demographics have changed in the region.
“We have less people coming into this region than previously,” Al Bahrani said.
He also said while AI is a heavily discussed topic, few are truly developing the skills to use it. He called AI a “scapegoat” that companies are beginning to dabble in. But he said policy and general fear of AI is stopping companies from truly investing in long-term use of the technology.
Dan Janka, president of Mazak, a manufacturing company, said from an employer's perspective, jobs in manufacturing are lacking. He said automation doesn’t replace these jobs, but it augments the work and it fills gaps.
“If you want to stay competitive globally, you really need to take a hard look at digital manufacturing solutions as well as automation,” Janka said.
Janka said manufacturing companies in the region are seeing a shortage of skilled labor specifically. But he sees potential in using AI to help companies more easily and cost effectively comply with government regulations; those conversations, he said, are in the early stages.
AI in education and community
Al Bahrani said the increased corporate interest in AI is changing what higher education prioritizes.
Fernando Figueroa, president at Gateway Community and Technical College, agreed. He said the rise of AI is making students confused about what careers they should pursue, but it’s also causing schools to wonder what skills their teachers need.
“It’s confusing our students,” Figueroa said. “What are kids supposed to learn?”
Figueroa said the region has to decide first what its vision for AI in the labor force is going to be.
Al Bahrani said teachers should consider past trends to adjust to AI. He said when more and more started attending college and earning a degree, wages for highly skilled jobs went down. The rise in AI will eventually show the same trend, he believes. But at the end of the day, Al Bahrani said fostering innovation will prove most effective.
“We need to invest more in critical thinking, storytelling, communication abilities and emotional intelligence,” Al Bahrani said. “You cannot be a leader without being in tune with your team.”
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