ESD Archives

GM Cuts IT Jobs As Detroit Automaker Faces Mounting Cost Pressures, EV Transition, And AI Disruption

GM Cuts IT Jobs As Detroit Automaker Faces Mounting Cost Pressures, EV Transition, And AI Disruption

DETROIT - Automotive News reported Monday that General Motors has eliminated additional information technology jobs as the automaker continues restructuring efforts aimed at lowering costs and accelerating its transition into a software-driven automotive company. The layoffs come as GM faces a difficult balancing act: funding billions of dollars in electric vehicle development, battery plants, software

By Mike Brennan|2026-05-11T17:04:25-04:00May 11th, 2026|Auto Tech, Engineering Society of Detroit, ESD|

Could Chinese EVs Crush Detroit?

Could Chinese EVs Crush Detroit?

Part 1 or a two-part series on the Chinese auto threat to Michigan. DETROIT - For generations, Detroit was the beating heart of American industrial power. In the decades following World War II, Michigan’s auto industry dominated not only the United States, but much of the global automobile market as well. During the 1950s and

By Mike Brennan|2026-05-08T10:58:20-04:00May 8th, 2026|Auto Tech, Engineering Society of Detroit, ESD, Featured, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Is Racing To Retrain Workers Before AI Reshapes The Economy

Michigan Is Racing To Retrain Workers Before AI Reshapes The Economy

LANSING - For decades, Michigan feared factory layoffs. Now economists, technology executives and workforce experts increasingly warn the next major employment disruption may hit office workers instead. Artificial intelligence is beginning to automate tasks once performed by accountants, programmers, marketing specialists, administrative assistants, customer service representatives, analysts and even some engineers — and some of

By Mike Brennan|2026-05-07T17:05:12-04:00May 7th, 2026|Artificial Intelligence, ESD, Industry 4.0|

Michigan’s White Collar Recession Has Started — And AI May Accelerate It

Michigan’s White Collar Recession Has Started — And AI May Accelerate It

ANN ARBOR - For decades, white collar workers believed college degrees and office careers offered protection from the economic disruption that devastated factory towns across the Midwest. Automation was supposed to threaten assembly lines — not office cubicles. But economists, labor researchers and major national publications are increasingly warning that artificial intelligence could reshape professional

By Mike Brennan|2026-05-06T17:13:51-04:00May 6th, 2026|Artificial Intelligence, Auto Tech, ESD, Featured, Industry 4.0|

GM’s $6 Billion Bet on Gas Engines Could Save Michigan Jobs as EV Demand Slows

GM’s $6 Billion Bet on Gas Engines Could Save Michigan Jobs as EV Demand Slows

DETROIT - General Motors is pouring more than $6 billion into U.S. manufacturing in just 12 months, a massive capital commitment that underscores a growing reality inside the auto industry: the transition to electric vehicles isn’t happening as fast as expected. The latest piece of that investment—about $830 million across key Midwest plants—is aimed squarely

By Mike Brennan|2026-05-05T11:18:49-04:00May 5th, 2026|Auto Tech, Engineering Society of Detroit, ESD, Featured|

Michigan Can’t Find Enough Childcare Workers—State Launches New Recruiting Tool

Michigan Can’t Find Enough Childcare Workers—State Launches New Recruiting Tool

Labor shortages in early education are now hitting Michigan’s workforce and economy. State officials say a new career tool could help—but questions remain about whether it’s enough. Photo credit: Stock Image. LANSING - Michigan is facing a growing shortage of childcare and early education workers—and state officials are now rolling out a new tool they

By Mike Brennan|2026-04-21T13:04:38-04:00April 21st, 2026|ESD, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

From Desktop to Dirt: MSU Puts Weather, Pest Data in Farmers’ Hands With New App

From Desktop to Dirt: MSU Puts Weather, Pest Data in Farmers’ Hands With New App

EAST LANSING - Michigan State University AgBioResearch has launched a mobile version of its long-running Enviroweather system, giving Michigan farmers real-time access to critical weather and crop data directly from the field. The new Enviroweather Mobile app marks a major shift from desktop-only access to on-the-go decision-making—something growers say is increasingly essential as farming becomes

By Mike Brennan|2026-04-18T18:12:45-04:00April 18th, 2026|ESD, Hemp|

Apple Icon Steve Wozniak To Deliver Keynote At GVSU’s Commencement Ceremonies

Apple Icon Steve Wozniak To Deliver Keynote At GVSU’s Commencement Ceremonies

ALLENDALE — Steve Wozniak, a visionary in the field of personal computing and the technological pioneer behind the formation of Apple, will be the guest speaker for Grand Valley State University’s three Commencement ceremonies on May 1-2 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. “GVSU is sincerely grateful to Steve Wozniak for donating his time

By Staff Writer|2026-04-18T17:50:32-04:00April 18th, 2026|ESD|

Cybercrime Is Becoming a “Hidden Tax” on Michigan Small Businesses—And AI Is Making It Worse

Cybercrime Is Becoming a “Hidden Tax” on Michigan Small Businesses—And AI Is Making It Worse

ANN ARBOR - Small businesses across Michigan—from auto suppliers in Oakland County to cannabis retailers in Detroit—are facing a growing and costly threat: cybercrime. A new national survey by the Public Private Strategies Institute (PPSI), conducted by Morning Consult, shows fraud, scams and ransomware are draining an estimated $131 billion annually from U.S. small businesses,

By Staff Writer|2026-04-16T18:00:47-04:00April 11th, 2026|Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Defense, ESD|

LIFT Launches Education Foundation to Expand Access to Advanced Manufacturing Careers

LIFT Launches Education Foundation to Expand Access to Advanced Manufacturing Careers

DETROIT - LIFT, the Department of Defense-supported national advanced materials and manufacturing innovation institute, announced the launch of the LIFT Education Foundation, a new nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to education and career pathways in advanced manufacturing. The Detroit-based 501(c)(3), operated by the American Lightweight Materials Innovation Institute (ALMMII), will provide scholarships and support to

By Mike Brennan|2026-04-14T13:17:23-04:00April 9th, 2026|ESD, Industry 4.0|