CenterState CEO Selected to Take Part in Opportunity@Work and Brookings AI Readiness Lab

National nonprofit Opportunity@Work announced the launch of the AI Readiness Lab (AIRLab), a new initiative developed in partnership with the Brookings Institution, bringing together six leading regions to understand and act on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping local economies and workforces.

The inaugural AIRLab cohort is coming together to understand and adapt to how AI will reshape regional economies and pathways for workers; particularly those workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) rather than bachelor's degrees – and includes: the Birmingham Business Alliance in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area; CenterState CEO in Syracuse and Central New York; the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) in Indiana; the Greater Cleveland Partnership in Ohio; GREATER MSP in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota; and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation in San Diego, California.

Over the next six months, the economic development organizations across the six distinct regions will use contextualized regional analytics and a national peer learning network to translate labor market data and efforts into localized action to ensure everyone can benefit from AI in the future of work – driving lasting economic opportunity in their own backyards.

"CenterState CEO and its partners are thrilled to be a part of the AI Readiness Lab. The jobs coming to Central New York from Micron's historic investment and other microelectronic sector projects will be significantly shaped by AI, and we have an obligation to ensure that those jobs are accessible to all," said Rob Simpson, Chief Executive Officer at CenterState CEO. "The AIRLab is an opportunity to develop strategies that will enable a resilient, skilled talent pipeline; grow AI adoption among small and midsized businesses; and, a clear understanding of AI's cross-sector impact. We look forward to building thoughtful frameworks and partnerships that will help us intentionally and equitably incorporate AI into the regional economy."

Over the six-month lab, participating organizations will:

• Access pathway health in their region to map which critical career pathways are stable and which are being reshaped.
• Identify their region's position in the AI economy – from applications and adoption to data centers, chips, and energy infrastructure – and pinpoint where their region can compete and grow.
• Develop "adapt and build" strategies, protecting the pathways that drive upward mobility today while building new opportunities for workers and employers in the emerging AI economy.
• Learn alongside a peer network of regional leaders confronting the same questions, translating shared insights into strategies tailored to each local economy.

The inaugural cohort is the first phase of a growing initiative. Opportunity@Work and Brookings plan to expand AIRLab to additional regions and partners, building a national community of practice for regions navigating the AI transition.

The launch comes as joint research from Opportunity@Work and Brookings revealed that AI's impact on the labor market extends far beyond college graduates. More than 15 million STARs hold jobs highly exposed to AI, representing 43% of all U.S. workers in the most exposed roles. Nearly 11 million of those STARs work in "Gateway" occupations, the stepping-stone jobs that have historically enabled workers to build skills and move into higher-wage careers. All told, nearly half of the pathways between Gateway jobs and higher-paying "Destination" jobs are highly exposed to AI.