On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, IAWP will host a live webinar featuring Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of the Industrial Performance Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-leader of MIT’s Work of the Future initiative.
For workforce development professionals, this conversation is especially timely.
Across regions, clients are asking:
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“Will AI replace my job?”
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“What skills should I be developing now?”
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“Is my occupation at risk?”
At the same time, employers are adjusting expectations—sometimes gradually, sometimes quickly. Tasks are being redesigned. Software tools are being integrated into daily workflows. Routine cognitive work is increasingly automated, while demand grows for judgment, oversight, interpretation, and applied expertise.
Understanding these shifts is essential for those guiding jobseekers, advising employers, and shaping training investments.
What the Research Is Showing
Drawing from research conducted at MIT’s Industrial Performance Center, Armstrong will examine what generative AI is actually doing inside organizations.
Emerging findings suggest that AI may be more likely to reshape tasks within occupations rather than eliminate entire occupations outright—at least in the near term. However, even task-level redesign can significantly affect:
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Skill requirements
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Hiring standards
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Advancement pathways
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Program design
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Sector strategies
These changes often occur before they appear in labor market indicators. By the time occupational projections reflect them, workforce systems may already be responding to an outdated picture.
Why This Matters for Workforce Development Professionals
Your work influences real decisions:
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Which training programs are prioritized
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How career pathways are framed
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How employer needs are interpreted
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How AI-related uncertainty is addressed
A clearer understanding of how firms are adopting generative AI allows workforce professionals to respond with insight grounded in evidence rather than headlines.
This webinar will examine:
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Which roles appear most exposed to AI augmentation
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Where productivity gains are measurable—and where claims may exceed evidence
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How organizations are approaching job redesign
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What workforce leaders should be monitoring now
The discussion will be analytical and research-based.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Time:
11:00 AM Pacific
12:00 PM Mountain
1:00 PM Central
2:00 PM Eastern
Register here:
https://iawponline.org/mit-ai-webibar/
We are grateful to the Oregon and Washington chapters of IAWP for sponsoring this event.
Workforce development professionals play a central role in helping individuals and organizations navigate change. This session provides an opportunity to strengthen that work with timely research from one of the leading institutions studying AI and its impact on employment.
We encourage you to register and join us next Tuesday.