WA ranked among the most prepared states for AI revolution
Creating ways to keep artificial intelligence secure and trustworthy is a priority for scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where scientists are exploring new ways to understand and explain how an assortment of bits of information can line up to generate solid conclusions in national security.
Courtesy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, illustration by Timothy HollandA study published by experts behind an online education platform shows Washington state is among the best positioned to reap the benefits of the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence, or AI, due to education, labor market and government funding.
Brainly used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics to determine the rankings, according to a release. Washington state came in at No. 8, behind California at No. 7.
Utah and Colorado were the only other two western states in the top 10, coming in at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively.
“Nearly 2.2 million American workers are now in AI-intensive roles, U.S. labor data shows, and these jobs are expected to grow by 19% through 2033,” the study said. “From software development and finance to health care and manufacturing, AI has become one of the most sought-after skills in the modern economy, and demand is only speeding up.”
Washington state was ranked particularly high when it came to the percentage of businesses already using AI at 11% and for AI-intensive jobs representing 30 out of 1,000 workers. However, the state needs to improve access to high-speed internet in homes.
Brainly, which uses AI as part of its app that connects students, provides access to textbooks and offers online tutoring, says it is imperative states do everything they can to make sure the future workforce is poised to take advantage of AI rather than be replaced by it.
“An estimated 300 million jobs could be lost to AI, according to a study from Goldman Sachs, and 41% of employers intend to downsize their workforce due to AI automation, according to a World Economic Forum survey,” the study authors wrote. “In addition to entry-level jobs and menial tasks, this is now expected to impact white-collar jobs which were once considered safe from automation.
“It’s not enough to have research hubs or a handful of elite universities. States need to build ecosystems that support AI learning from high school through higher education, strengthen digital infrastructure, and help small businesses and workers adapt to the AI-powered economy.”
