Opportunity@Work and Brookings Launch AI Readiness Lab to Help Regions Protect Career Pathways Before AI Reshapes Them

Six leading business and regional economic development organizations join the inaugural "AIRLab" cohort as new research shows how AI is poised to erode the pathways STAR workers use to transition from low- to higher-wage work

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, national nonprofit Opportunity@Work announced the launch of the AI Readiness Lab (AIRLab), a new initiative developed in partnership with the Brookings Institution, bringing together six leading regions to understand and act on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping local economies and workforces.

The inaugural AIRLab cohort is coming together to understand and adapt to how AI will reshape regional economies and pathways for workers; particularly those workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) rather than bachelor's degrees – and includes: the Birmingham Business Alliance in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area; CenterState CEO in Syracuse and Central New York; the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) in Indiana; the Greater Cleveland Partnership in Ohio; GREATER MSP in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota; and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation in San Diego, California.

Over the next six months, the economic development organizations across the six distinct regions will use contextualized regional analytics and a national peer learning network to translate labor market data and efforts into localized action to ensure everyone can benefit from AI in the future of work – driving lasting economic opportunity in their own backyards.

"AIRLab exists because the AI transition in our labor market is happening region by region, and no region should have to navigate it alone," said Audrey Mickahail, SVP, Market Strategy & Solutions, Opportunity@Work. "The six leaders in this inaugural cohort are doing the hard, deliberate work of building an intentional strategy for their local economies – one that protects the pathways today's workers rely upon while creating the ones the AI economy will demand. Their willingness to work and learn alongside each other, share what's working, and build this playbook together is exactly the kind of coordinated leadership this moment requires."

Today's launch comes as joint research from Opportunity@Work and Brookings revealed that AI's impact on the labor market extends far beyond college graduates. More than 15 million STARs hold jobs highly exposed to AI, representing 43% of all U.S. workers in the most exposed roles. Nearly 11 million of those STARs work in "Gateway" occupations, the stepping-stone jobs that have historically enabled workers to build skills and move into higher-wage careers. All told, nearly half of the pathways between Gateway jobs and higher-paying "Destination" jobs are highly exposed to AI.

The research also found that AI exposure varies widely across regions, concentrated in administrative, clerical, and customer service roles. For example, customer service representatives – a Gateway occupation employing more than two million workers – are highly vulnerable to AI as roughly 70% of the tasks in these roles are already exposed to AI. And the risk cuts both ways, potentially stranding workers in lower-wage jobs while drying up the experienced talent pipeline employers depend on to fill higher-wage roles. Importantly, exposure to AI does not automatically mean displacement for workers. When deployed intentionally – in hiring as well as on the job – AI can augment workers, accelerate skill-building and enable more accurate matches between workers' skills and open jobs. It can also open new pathways to higher-wage work.

The pathway erosion being seen today isn't unique to any one region, it's a structural shift playing out in labor markets nationwide. But, the response has to be local as roughly 73% of U.S. workers live and work in the same county, and the coordination among employers, educators, and workforce systems that keeps career pathways open happens region by region. For employers, sustaining these pathways is a talent-supply imperative. The same Gateway jobs that power workers' upward mobility are the pipeline businesses rely on for experienced talent. Past technological transitions drove decades of geographic divergence between regions that adapted and those that didn't; AIRLab is designed to help regions get ahead of AI reshaping their labor markets.

"Major technological transitions are global in scope but their impacts can vary substantially at the local level, where employers, government, and civic leaders work together to shape growth and opportunity in a regional economy," said Joseph Parilla, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. "AIRLab gives regional leaders the evidence, frameworks, and peer network they need to both advance and adapt to artificial intelligence."

Over the six-month lab, participating organizations will:

• Access pathway health in their region to map which critical career pathways are stable and which are being reshaped.
• Identify their region's position in the AI economy – from applications and adoption to data centers, chips, and energy infrastructure – and pinpoint where their region can compete and grow.
• Develop "adapt and build" strategies, protecting the pathways that drive upward mobility today while building new opportunities for workers and employers in the emerging AI economy.
• Learn alongside a peer network of regional leaders confronting the same questions, translating shared insights into strategies tailored to each local economy.

The inaugural cohort is the first phase of a growing initiative. Opportunity@Work and Brookings plan to expand AIRLab to additional regions and partners, building a national community of practice for regions navigating the AI transition. Regional economic development, workforce, and civic organizations interested in joining a future cohort can learn more at: https://pages.opportunityatwork.org/airlab/ 

Quotes from the Inaugural AIRLab Cohort

Birmingham Business Alliance – Birmingham, AL Metro
"The Birmingham region is taking a deliberate and collaborative approach to AI adoption – aiming to make AI a net job creator. This commitment spans industries, from healthcare to manufacturing to numerous sectors in between. This approach shines in our communities of practice, workforce development initiatives, and coordinated partnership - our AIRLab team brings together the Birmingham Business Alliance, Birmingham AI, Prosper, and Bloom Economy Labs. As AI reshapes industries and career pathways, staying ahead means learning from perspectives beyond our own. We're excited to sharpen our approach to AI readiness by engaging in the inaugural AIRLab cohort."

– Irina Pritchett, PhD, Senior Director of Business Intelligence, Birmingham Business Alliance

CenterState CEO – Syracuse / Central New York
"CenterState CEO and its partners are thrilled to be a part of the AI Readiness Lab. The jobs coming to Central New York from Micron's historic investment and other microelectronic sector projects will be significantly shaped by AI, and we have an obligation to ensure that those jobs are accessible to all . The AIRLab is an opportunity to develop strategies that will enable a resilient, skilled talent pipeline; grow AI adoption among small and midsized businesses; and, a clear understanding of AI's cross-sector impact. We look forward to building thoughtful frameworks and partnerships that will help us intentionally and equitably incorporate AI into the regional economy."

– Rob Simpson, Chief Executive Officer, CenterState CEO

CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) – Indiana
"AI is clearly changing the way we work and learn, creating opportunities and disruptions alike. CICP is committed to harnessing technologies like AI for broad-based economic growth that improves the well-being of all Hoosier communities. As we join AIRLab, we are eager to learn from and share with Brookings, Opportunity@Work, and other communities from across the country in order to make the most of this unprecedented moment."

– Melina Kennedy, CEO, CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

Greater Cleveland Partnership – Ohio
"AI is reshaping how people learn, work, and advance in their careers. Greater Cleveland is proud to join the AI Readiness Lab to learn and share effective practices to enable businesses, talent, and educational partners to adapt to these changes in ways that expand opportunity and accelerate growth. We are especially interested in how AI can help connect more people to high-demand careers and create clearer pathways to economic mobility."

– Michael Schoop, Senior Vice President Talent, Greater Cleveland Partnership

GREATER MSP – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN
"GREATER MSP is building the next economy by solving some of the world's greatest challenges from right here in Minneapolis-Saint Paul and including more people in that economic growth. We are going to need to harness AI in pursuit of those missions and adapt for the real disruptions that are impacting people's lives.

Our region isn't alone in navigating change. The AI Readiness Lab presents a timely opportunity for regions across the U.S. to develop smarter, more unified approaches to how we make AI work for us. We look forward to learning and building alongside peers that are motivated to boldly and responsibly adapt to a future that's already here – as we pursue greater growth and prosperity for everyone in our communities."

– Peter Frosch, CEO, The GREATER MSP Partnership

San Diego Regional EDC – San Diego, CA
"We're thrilled to be part of the inaugural AI Readiness Lab. AI won't automatically deliver broad prosperity — that depends on how regions prepare. San Diego's economy runs on exactly the kind of skilled, career-building roles that AI is reshaping fastest. We already see a widening gap between economic growth and entry-level hiring in the occupations our young workers count on to launch their careers. Getting this transition right is critical to our region's prosperity and competitiveness, and we're excited to learn alongside five peer regions working to turn AI from a threat into an engine of opportunity."

– Eduardo Velasquez, Vice President, San Diego Regional EDC

About Opportunity@Work
Opportunity@Work is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise on a mission to rewire the labor market so all Americans can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. Our work advances economic opportunities for the 70+ million U.S. workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) instead of through a bachelor's degree. Opportunity@Work engages with corporate, public sector, talent technology, and philanthropic partners through landmark research and labor market data analysis, public awareness and narrative change, STARs-centric software tools, and multi-sector networks. Our goal is to enable upward mobility for 1 million STARs by opening up 10 million jobs, and boost their earnings by 100 billion dollars by 2035. Learn more at opportunityatwork.org

About the Brookings Institution

Brookings equips decisionmakers with nonpartisan research and policy strategies to create a more prosperous and secure country and world.

Media Contact

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SOURCE Opportunity@Work