WCC to host conference on AI in the workplace

Washtenaw Community College (WCC) is convening a conference to show how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the workplace and reshaping leadership across industries.

The inaugural event, called AI@Work: The Innovation Imperative, will take place on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at WCC’s Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 E. Huron River Dr. in Ann Arbor Township. The conference is part of Ann Arbor SPARK’s a2Tech360 events, which will run Sept. 25-Oct. 3. AI@Work is open to educators, executives, policymakers, and innovation leaders. Attendees will learn about how AI is transforming learning, strategy, and competitive advantages from a lineup of both regional and national trailblazers.  

“Every time I get on campus of a community college that is actually leading change, it gets me really excited,” says Alex Goryachev, a LinkedIn Top AI Voice, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Fast Company.

Goryachev will deliver the event’s keynote speech, titled “Leadership in the Age of AI.” 

He adds, “community colleges, especially like WCC, are generating a much higher return on education than a traditional college. They’re actually meeting the needs of the workplace and local community by embracing this.” 

He’ll talk about how to approach AI with curiosity instead of fear, and how AI can be a tool for innovation and prosperity in both education and the workplace. 

“We’re at a point where we can use AI to innovate rapidly. Usually at work, we’re stuck in old, outdated processes. Or we’re limited by other people or budget, or time to get something done,” he says. “With AI, we can achieve all three things at the same time. We can do things faster, cheaper, better.”

Community college students, Goryachev shares, are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change and the future of AI. Community college students are either already part of the workforce, or about to go into the workforce. Furthermore, he says community colleges are quick to adapt to new technologies. 

“More than 50% of faculty are in adjunct roles, meaning that they’re already aligned with the workforce,” he says. “They’re built for practical impact. It’s flexible learning that really aligns with industry needs.”

Goryachev encourages organizations to see AI as an opportunity to “future-proof” themselves. Companies can get their employee time back, and invest that time in innovation and creativity, rather than laying people off or reducing headcount.

He underscores that the key to “future-proofing” lies in continuous learning and adaptability, as “all of us are going to be in a continuous state of reinventing ourselves.” The most significant challenge he’s recognized is not the adoption of new tools, but the willingness to adapt.

“About 40% of the global population needs to acquire new skills to stay competitive and employed, so we have to keep learning,” Goryachev says. “The more that I talk to organizations, the more I understand that it’s primarily about reskilling, changing the mindset, and reinventing our processes.”

He says AI is a reinvention of a business process and invites people to think of it as a paradigm shift akin to electricity. 

“Is electricity a technology? Yes. Is internet a technology? Yes, but it really transforms the way that we do business,” he says.

Goryachev will also speak to looking beyond the technology itself and the need to focus on the human changes that are required. He believes that embracing AI requires a shift in how people view their roles and their potential. 

“When all of the world’s information is accessible to us, through voice and through 147 languages, we can access any and all data that pretty much exists,” he says. “So how do we rethink our communities, organizations, education, everything else?”

More information about the event, including a list of other featured industry leaders and registration details, can be found here.