As Michigan businesses explore artificial intelligence to improve productivity and compete in a changing economy, questions are growing about its impact on jobs, workforce skills, electricity demand and community development.

GRAND RAPIDS – Grand Valley State University will bring together national experts, business leaders, policymakers and community representatives Thursday, November 5, to examine how Michigan can benefit from AI while addressing its economic, environmental and social challenges.

The free, daylong Humans in the Lead: Community AI Summit will take place at GVSU’s DeVos Center in downtown Grand Rapids.

What This Means for Michigan

  • Jobs: How will AI change the skills Michigan employers need, and which workers will require additional training?
  • Small businesses: Can AI help companies increase productivity and compete with larger businesses?
  • Electricity costs: What could expanding AI data centers mean for energy demand and surrounding communities?
  • Healthcare: How can AI improve services while protecting patient information?
  • Privacy: What safeguards are needed as AI-powered surveillance becomes more widespread?

AI’s Impact on Michigan’s Economy

One of the summit’s central discussions will focus on how artificial intelligence is changing business and industry.

A session titled “The AI Shift: What’s Changing in Business and Industry” will examine the technology’s expanding role in the workplace.

For Michigan’s manufacturing companies, technology startups and small businesses, the discussion comes as employers evaluate whether AI can improve operations, reduce costs and create new business opportunities.

Another session, “Scale Smarter: AI for Nonprofits, Entrepreneurs and Businesses,” will explore practical applications for organizations seeking to use AI.

Workforce development also will receive attention during “Level Up: AI Skills for Work and Life,” which will examine skills needed to work with emerging technology.

These sessions could help Michigan employers better understand where AI investments make sense and how to prepare employees for changing responsibilities.

AI Data Centers Raise Energy Questions

The environmental impact of artificial intelligence will be another major focus.

Abre’ Conner, director of the NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, will deliver the keynote address, “The Cloud Has a Footprint: AI, Energy and Environmental Justice.”

Her presentation will examine the relationship between AI infrastructure, electricity consumption, environmental sustainability and the communities affected by expanding data center development.

The discussion is particularly relevant to Michigan as utilities, regulators and communities confront questions about how growing electricity demand should be accommodated and who should pay for additional infrastructure.

Tony Reames, the Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan, is among the featured experts.

The summit will provide an opportunity to explore how technological investment can be balanced against environmental and community concerns.

Healthcare, Privacy and Public Safety

Artificial intelligence’s expanding role in healthcare, law enforcement and public safety will also be examined.

A session titled “AI and the Future of Health: Innovation, Ethics and Trust” will address opportunities and concerns surrounding healthcare applications.

Another discussion, “Watching the Watchers: AI, Surveillance and Public Safety,” will examine the implications of emerging surveillance technologies.

Featured speakers announced by GVSU include Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, and Kent County Sheriff Bryan Muir.

The broader discussion will address how governments and institutions can adopt AI while maintaining public confidence and protecting individual rights.

Universities Have a Role in AI Development

Mark Richards, a GVSU political science professor and summit organizer, said universities have a responsibility to connect academic research with decisions affecting communities.

“Artificial intelligence presents questions that no single discipline or institution can answer alone,” Richards said.

He added that bringing researchers, policymakers, industry professionals and community members together can strengthen public understanding and encourage more informed decision-making.

Kareem Scales, CEO of Scales Consulting and another summit organizer, said West Michigan has an opportunity to demonstrate that technological progress and human progress can advance together.

“Through this summit, we’re bringing together people who do not always sit at the same table because the future of AI is too important to be decided in silos,” Scales said.

How to Attend

The summit runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 5, at the Richard M. DeVos Center, 401 Fulton Street SW, Grand Rapids.

Admission is free, with breakfast and lunch provided. The program includes panel discussions, breakout sessions and networking opportunities.

View the full agenda and register for the GVSU AI Summit.