Overview

In June 2023, Jobs for the Future (JFF) launched the Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work. The Center is founded in the recognition that AI is reshaping every aspect of how we learn, work, and live. The Center is enabling stakeholders to knowledge-share and collaborate across the learn-and-work ecosystem to explore promising opportunities—and the many challenges—of AI’s potential to advance an accessible and equitable future of learning and work.

The Center is focusing initially on cross-sector convenings, research, and insights to identify best practices for leveraging AI to accelerate skill development, improvements in job quality, and economic advancement. The Center is also focusing on connecting policy with practices grounded in equitable applications of AI so that all learners and workers can gain access to and benefit from AI.

Report on Resources to Prepare for AI-driven Shifts across Industries and Occupations

JFF’s Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work collaborated with Intel Corporation to publish a report in November 2023, The AI-Ready Workforce.  The report offers three resources—a framework model, industry-specific profiles, and a readiness blueprint. The report is founded in the recognition that every occupation will benefit by focusing on uniquely human interpersonal skills that will be elevated or augmented by AI. The learn-and-work ecosystem can prepare for AI-driven shifts across industries and occupations, and help workers, institutions, and ecosystems to prepare.  The report finds that most jobs ​ will be transformed, not displaced, by AI.

Research Survey: Adult Views of AI

In 2023, JFF commissioned a survey conducted by Morning Consult to study adult views on AI. The study was conducted between May 31 –June 2, 2023 with a sample size of 2,204 adults. Interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment.

Key findings included in the report published July 2023:

• 58% of workers are open to learning opportunities for using AI at work compared to 29% concerned about AI taking away their job or 35% concerned about AI hurting their company.
• 88% do not yet trust their employers to support them in understanding AI.
• Individuals who have already encountered AI in their current jobs are more than twice as likely to feel AI would do more good than harm.
• Fewer than 1 in 10 are currently experiencing AI in their jobs—receiving AI training, using it in their role, or seeing AI-related staffing change.
• 26% of adults feel skeptical about the future impact of AI on their own life–more so than fearful (17%), neutral (16%), hopeful (17%), or excited (10%).
• Workers recognize the importance of skills related to AI.
• 58% said they need to gain new skills as a result of AI’s impact and one-third believe it is necessary to do so within the next year.
• Relative to men, women are less likely than men to feel that AI would be good for workers (46% less likely) and education (37% less likely), and 62% less likely to feel excited or hopeful about AI's impact on their own lives.
• Black respondents view AI more positively than White respondents. When comparing the views of Black and White respondents, Black respondents were 62% less likely to say AI would do more harm than good.
• Younger workers feel more pressure to upskill. Gen Z and Millennial workers (66% each) were more likely than Gen X (52%) or Baby Boomer (43%) workers to feel they need to upgrade their skills because of AI.
• Skepticism about AI's value and impact is higher among those earning less. In comparison to those making more than $100,000 per year, respondents making less than $50,000 annually were 40% less likely to feel AI's impact would be net positive and 38% less likely to feel that AI would be good for workers and education.

Partners 

• AdeptID
• aiEDU
• All Tech Is Human
• American Enterprise Institute
• Battelle Media
• Black in AI
• FutureFit AI
• Gitlab Foundation
• Intel Corporation
• LinkedIn
• Stemuli

 Jobs for the Future

JFF is a national nonprofit with a mission to drive transformation in the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all.

Resources

The AI-Ready Workforce

Survey