Preparing the Workforce of the Future for an AI-Driven Economy

AI is changing virtually every industry and doing so at a rapid pace.

JobsOhio will strategically position Ohio to harness the power of AI across our diverse industrial base and seize the opportunity to make AI a new priority technology sector. It is critical for Ohio to become a leader in AI while preparing our workforce for the inevitable shifts that will come with its increased adoption.

Axios recently sat down with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to explore how AI could vastly impact the job market as companies shift their use of AI models.

Anthropic’s research shows that companies primarily use AI models for augmentation, which helps people do a job. But as the shift to agentic AI gains traction, the use of AI at companies will likely move towards automation. In this use case, AI “agents” operate autonomously, making decisions and taking actions without direct human intervention.

In the article, Axios shared: “We've talked to scores of CEOs at companies of various sizes and across many industries. Every single one of them is working furiously to figure out when and how agents or other AI technology can displace human workers at scale. The second these technologies can operate at a human efficacy level, which could be six months to several years from now, companies will shift from humans to machines.”

So, how can Ohio’s future workforce prepare for the inevitable shifts in the job market that AI will bring?

Leaders in AI see the need to:

1. Increase awareness about the workforce shifts to come
2. Provide tools for people to use as they assess their career path
3. Help people better understand how AI can augment tasks for various occupations

The Ohio State University is answering that call with a new initiative that will embed AI into core undergraduate requirements and majors, ensuring all students graduate equipped to apply AI tools and applications in their fields.

Ohio State’s AI Fluency initiative will launch this fall for first-year students. Starting with the Class of 2029, every graduate will be fluent in AI and well-positioned to contribute to and lead the AI-driven economy.