2025 Concordia Annual Summit

The Next Generation of Work

  • Global Economy & Trade
Maria Flynn, Gary A. Officer, Michael Greenwald, Maya Ajmera

Session Summary

Important
Quotations

“I think we need to view AI literacy in the same way we have historically viewed basic literacy. AI literacy must be an essential part of the conversation and a key area of investment going forward.”
Maria Flynn
“One of the most pressing problems we face in this country is workforce outcomes for people who are low-paid and low-skilled, and AI is going to affect their ability to be fully engaged in the workforce.”
Gary A. Officer
“We believe strongly in democratizing access to AI technology. We need to upskill the American workforce. Every sector has a role to play. We cannot be complacent. We must stay competitive and proactive, not wait for disruption to occur.”
Michael Greenwald
“You don’t read science or engineering. You do science and engineering. We need to create the next generation of tinkerers. They need to be hands-on and willing to get their hands dirty.”
Maya Ajmera

Key
Takeaways

  • Workforce Transformation: AI literacy must be treated as fundamental as basic literacy, requiring organization-wide integration rather than single technology officers. Successful workforce development demands tripartite partnerships between government, business, and nonprofits as willing participants.

 

  • Skills Revolution: STEM education must shift from textbook-based to hands-on “tinkering” approaches where students “do science” and “do engineering.” While technology evolves rapidly, core human skills like teamwork, collaboration, and communication remain consistently important.

 

  • Quality Jobs and Inclusion: Quality jobs encompass four dimensions: pay/benefits, advancement opportunities, job structure/scheduling, and worker voice, with focus on workers without four-year degrees, workers of color, women, and those impacted by the criminal justice system.

 

  • Innovation and Competitiveness: Organizations must be proactive rather than reactive to maintain competitiveness. The startup ecosystem represents the future fabric of national security and economic leadership. Scientific literacy builds critical thinking skills essential for democratic participation.

 

Action
Items

  • For Government Leaders: Increase workforce investment by making bold investments in reforming education and workforce systems rather than implementing funding cuts. Establish AI leadership by following Treasury’s model and appointing chief AI officers across bureaus to educate and innovate.

 

  • For Business and Private Sector: Implement AI upskilling by developing organization-wide AI literacy programs extending beyond single officers. Democratize AI education by making training resources freely available to support broader workforce development. Create intergenerational strategies that leverage both young workers’ adaptability and older workers’ experience.

 

  • For Educational Institutions: Transform STEM delivery by shifting to hands-on, experiential approaches in science and engineering. Align with employers to ensure AI and technical skills taught correspond to workforce demands. Update curriculum continuously to provide current, trustworthy scientific content and professional development for STEM teachers.

For Cross-Sector Collaboration: Scale successful programs serving underrepresented populations. Focus on competitive positioning through coordinated strategies to maintain American leadership in emerging technologies. Support the startup ecosystem by creating partnerships between startups, established companies, and educational institutions.

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