Carla Dempsey
It doesn’t seem that long ago that many business and industry leaders looked at artificial intelligence (AI) as something that would eventually transform the future. Few realized, however, just how quickly the future would get here.
AI has completely changed the way the world does business. Digital twin technology has revolutionized manufacturing. Precision farming tools have elevated the agricultural industry, and AI is now a core function in redefining supply chains and optimizing logistical routes.
As technology continues to reshape competitive landscapes, a new report from TechPoint, a growth accelerator organization for the tech sector, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, reveals that “AI has moved rapidly from experimentation to enterprise integration in under five years.” As a result, the organization is stressing that it is imperative that Hoosier business, education and government leaders collaborate to prioritize closing the tech skills gap.
“Indiana is at a turning point,” said Ting Gootee, president and CEO of TechPoint, in a press release about the report. “The global economy is moving toward an AI-enabled future, and Indiana’s economic success will depend on how quickly and effectively we adapt. The evidence is clear: we must integrate AI into training programs, expand adoption across sectors, and accelerate skills development to remain competitive.”
Most Critical Skills Gap
The report, AI-Driven Skills for Indiana’s Economy, is based on a survey of 100 of the state’s employers, university officials, organizational leaders and other stakeholders that identified the largest tech skills gaps, what challenges and opportunities are seen in workforce development, and what significance upskilling and reskilling can be in strengthening talent development to keep pace with technological change.
Among all the workforce gaps, the findings indicate that AI and machine learning capabilities now rank at the top. The report notes that AI-related job postings have increased by 440% from 2023 to 2025, while job postings outside the sector have declined in that time. Respondents noted that the most in-demand jobs needed now are software developer engineers, machine learning engineers, and data analysts.
Survey participants also noted that upskilling and reskilling programs for employees in these roles will be the highest priority, even more critical than new hiring or talent retention.
Why AI Matters Now
Researchers note in the report that Indiana is tracking closely to the national average of AI adoption in business. An analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), Indiana ranks 35th in the country for businesses that use AI. However, when the data is adjusted for the state’s strong manufacturing sector, the state’s ranking rises to 6th in the nation.
With manufacturing, logistics and agriculture as three thriving industries in the state, they are also areas where AI adoption can have great impact. That adoption and workforce development will not only be crucial to help Indiana stay on track on a national and global level but also set the pace for the essential growth that will keep it competitive well into the future.
As industries look for ways to overcome challenges caused by a plateauing and declining workforce, productivity gains will increasingly depend on what AI can bring to the table. As the report notes: “Indiana cannot afford a slow ramp-up in AI adoption and skills development.”
Moving Quickly, Moving Together
Sustained progress for AI adoption will hinge on the coordination among employers, educators and policymakers, TechPoint notes. The organization’s recommendations in the report emphasize that no one area can successfully close the skills gap alone. It will take collaboration between all three to effectively carve out a plan to ensure that Indiana rises as a leader in AI readiness.
To achieve this, the report emphasizes three urgent steps:
- Integrate AI into workforce training programs, emphasizing that workers gain industry-specific skills.
- Broaden AI adoption, especially in Indiana’s core sectors of manufacturing, logistics and agriculture, where productivity gains are substantial.
- Facilitate shared learning across sectors to encourage broader use and accelerate adoption.
“Indiana is at a critical juncture. The global economy is moving toward an AI-enabled future, and the state’s economic success will depend on how quickly and effectively it adapts,” the report notes. “The TechPoint survey and national adoption data make the stakes clear: Indiana must invest in skills, drive adoption, and embrace AI as a foundational element of competitiveness.”