LANSING – Artificial intelligence could transform nearly 2.8 million Michigan jobs over the next decade, according to Michigan’s AI workforce strategy. While some workers may become more productive, others could find portions of their jobs automated away unless they develop new skills.
The jobs most at risk are often those built around repetitive tasks, data processing, reporting, scheduling, bookkeeping, and routine customer interactions. At the same time, researchers say workers who develop leadership, communication, problem-solving, and people-management skills may become more valuable than ever.
A new study from GoHumanize found that leadership is the single hardest workplace skill for artificial intelligence to replace. The research examined 60 professional skills and concluded that abilities requiring trust, judgment, emotional intelligence, negotiation, and teamwork remain largely beyond the reach of today’s AI systems.
The findings arrive as Michigan aggressively pursues artificial intelligence investment, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and automation projects. State officials estimate AI could create 130,000 new jobs and generate $70 billion in economic activity over the next decade. Yet the same technology is expected to reshape millions of existing jobs across the state.
Could AI Affect Your Job?
Occupations Facing The Greatest Automation Risk
Office & Administrative
- Data entry clerks
- Administrative assistants
- Scheduling coordinators
- Executive assistants
- Payroll processors
- Bookkeeping clerks
Finance & Insurance
- Claims processors
- Loan processors
- Underwriting support staff
- Basic financial analysts
Technology
- Entry-level programmers
- Junior software developers
- Basic data analysts
- Quality assurance testers
Customer Service
- Call center representatives
- Technical support agents handling routine inquiries
- Telemarketers
- Appointment schedulers
Manufacturing & Logistics
- Inventory clerks
- Procurement analysts
- Production schedulers
- Quality inspectors performing routine visual inspections
The good news is that most economists believe AI will eliminate tasks faster than entire occupations. Workers who learn to use AI while developing leadership, communication, and project-management skills are expected to remain highly employable.
While experts caution that AI is more likely to automate tasks than eliminate entire professions, workers in occupations heavily dependent on repetitive, rules-based activities could see significant disruption.
Michigan’s Workforce Faces Major Change
Michigan’s economy may be particularly vulnerable to workforce disruption because of its large manufacturing sector.
State workforce officials estimate that roughly three-quarters of manufacturing jobs may require some degree of retraining or upskilling as AI-powered tools become more common on factory floors, in engineering departments, and throughout supply chains.
For Michigan manufacturers, the question increasingly is not whether AI will arrive, but whether workers are prepared to adapt.
Many of tomorrow’s jobs may require employees to supervise AI systems, interpret results, manage teams, solve unexpected problems, and make decisions that machines cannot.
The Jobs AI Is More Likely To Enhance
Not every occupation faces the same level of risk.
Many professional careers are expected to become more productive rather than obsolete.
These include:
- Engineers
- Accountants
- Financial advisors
- Attorneys
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Journalists
- Human resources professionals
- Project managers
- Sales executives
- Marketing professionals
In these roles, AI can automate research, documentation, scheduling, reporting, and administrative work while humans focus on customer relationships, creativity, judgment, and strategic decision-making.
For example, AI may help engineers evaluate thousands of design alternatives in minutes, but human engineers still determine which solutions best meet customer needs.
Likewise, AI can summarize documents and transcribe interviews for journalists, but it cannot replace original reporting, source development, or editorial judgment.
The Skills AI Still Can’t Master
The GoHumanize study found that the most automation-resistant skills have one thing in common: they involve people.
The Top 10 Future-Proof Skills
- Leadership
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Negotiation
- Coaching and Mentoring
- Public Speaking
- Organizational Leadership
- People Management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Interpersonal Skills
- Change Management
Researchers concluded that while AI excels at analyzing information and following rules, it struggles with earning trust, resolving conflict, motivating teams, mentoring employees, and navigating uncertainty.
Bottom Line: If your job depends primarily on processing information, AI may become your competitor. If your job depends on leading, persuading, teaching, mentoring, or managing people, AI is more likely to become your assistant.
Where Michigan Workers Can Upskill
Experts say workers concerned about AI should focus less on competing with machines and more on developing capabilities machines struggle to replicate.
Michigan workers can build these skills through:
- Michigan Works! career development programs
- Community college leadership and business courses
- University professional development programs
- Chamber of Commerce leadership academies
- Industry certifications
- Professional associations
- Online learning platforms such as LinkedIn Learning and Coursera
- Toastmasters public speaking clubs
Public speaking, leadership development, project management, negotiation, and team-building programs may become increasingly valuable as employers place greater emphasis on human-centered skills.
The Human Advantage
For years, workers were told that technical skills would provide the strongest protection against automation.
The emerging AI economy suggests the opposite may also be true.
Technical expertise remains important, but workers who combine technical knowledge with leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving abilities may be best positioned to thrive.
As Michigan invests heavily in artificial intelligence and automation, the workers most likely to succeed may not be those who can compete with machines, but those who can do what machines still cannot.