All this, and much more, was discussed at the AI@WORK event in Los Angeles. Sponsored by Microsoft, AI@WORK was organized by the Brookings Institute. The Brookings Institute is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national, and global levels. The event took place in the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce on February 13, 2020.

The event featured many presentations that were centered on the effects of Artificial Intelligence on the US’ labor market. The event was by invite only. Attendees and experts from Microsoft and the Brooking Institution, discussed the effects of artificial intelligence on the U.S. labor market and its broader impacts to the future workforce, with particular focus on trends in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The session is a collaboration between Microsoft and the Brookings Institution based on recent research from the new report, “What jobs are affected by AI?”.

Some of the great names that were present in this debate for the future of work which included:

Celeste Alleyne is currently the Director of Citizenship and Public Affairs for Microsoft’s West Region, which covers two districts and thirteen states.Her passion is to provide all youth – especially underserved and young girls – with computer science and STEM training.

Based in Los Angeles, Martin Breidsprecher is currently a Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer. Breidsprecher possesses a strong background in finance, strategic business planning, and business development, thanks to his Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Mark Muro is a recognized expert and policy director at the Brookings Institution. His niche focuses on improving regional technology systems and economic development. His most recent publications include

• A report published on January 24, 2019, on Automation and Artificial Intelligence – Automation and Artificial Intelligence: How machines are affecting people and places
• and another report released before the one above called – Digitalization and the American workforce.

Muro, in his academic experience, holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard College and a Master’s Degree in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

As a correspondent and host at-large for NPR, the American News Network, Elise Hu is not shy of any introduction. At NPR, she served as the founding bureau chief for the network’s Seoul office, and in that role, was responsible for the coverage of North Korea, South Korea, and Japan.
Elise Hu is a graduate of the Missouri Journalism Schooland is currently living in Los Angeles.

Naria Santa Luciais a Senior Director of Skills and Employability at Microsoft Philanthropies. She has also served as an Executive Director at Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS). She is a graduate of Law School and the College at the University of Chicago.

Rick Hodgeis an experienced executive with more than 20 years of leading in campus management, economic and workforce development, community education, and corporate and business training.

Brandon Nicholson is a public policy specialist with a passion for developing multi-sector partnerships to bolster economic development and improve access to opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
Brandon serves on the Board of Trustees/Directors of:

• Marin Academy (San Rafael, CA).
• San Francisco 49ers Academy (East Palo Alto, CA).
• Great Oakland Public Schools.
• Lorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation (Oakland, CA).
• GreenLight Fund (Oakland, CA).
• Aim High (San Francisco, CA).

Lindsey Heisser is an experienced account leader with multi-disciplinary skills that encompass all marketing areas, including strategy and ideation, consumer engagement promotions, product development, brand integration, strategic alliances, online activations, event marketing, and social media.

Invited to participate in this event, Ines actively took part in the discussion and emphasized on the role of AI in Digital Transformation projects many companies around the world are going through now.

She discussed the future of Artificial Intelligence, and above all, she pointed out that the first enemy of AI is not the technology nor new laws to be created, but the fear among us. People’s concern around the world of losing jobs is one of the major obstacles to the adoption and acceptance of AI in the workplace. Her idea was so simple, yet so effective.
The present audience was all praise for Ines’ whopping comments on digital readiness, human resistance at early stages, and for the necessity to address the human factors even before technology-related issues.