Research Expertise
The Future of Work
The Heldrich Center is deeply committed to examining the future of work, including the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on workers and employers.
The Heldrich Center is conducting an in-depth examination to understand the impact and influence of AI on the future of the technology and life sciences sector workforces in New Jersey. Funded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the project is establishing a baseline understanding of the workforce characteristics and changing dynamics of the technology and life sciences sectors in New Jersey and to understand how AI is affecting occupational demand and skill requirements for occupations in these sectors. The project will also predict how likely AI is to affect the sectors in the future. This research will provide the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, policymakers, and other pertinent stakeholders with comprehensive insights on the workforce dynamics within these two sectors and help stakeholders better understand how AI might influence or shape the future of these sectors’ workforces and how employers can prepare for the employment changes due to AI advances.
In early 2024, the Heldrich Center’s award-winning series of national public opinion polls, Work Trends, examined the subject of AI and its impacts on jobs in the United States as part of a nationwide survey of 1,038 American adults, including 737 workers. The survey found widespread uncertainty about the potential impacts of AI on jobs and the labor market. For example, 82% of workers said it is very or somewhat important that the government ensures that AI technologies do not cause American workers to lose their jobs. The survey found that while most American workers agree that AI will eliminate jobs rather than create jobs, respondents were split about who may be more likely to lose their jobs. Additionally, the survey found that 66% of workers believe that they will need more technological skills to achieve their career goals.
Heldrich Center researchers worked with the New Jersey Office of the Governor and the New Jersey Office of Innovation on the Future of Work Task Force, which was created in 2018 to discover how technological advancements will affect New Jersey’s economy and workers. This work resulted in the development of the Task Force’s roadmap and policy recommendations, which were organized around three major areas: investing in workers, empowering workers, and protecting workers. The project also conducted and commissioned original research to inform the dialogue about possible policy solutions related to the future of work.
The Heldrich Center hosted a series of policy forums on the future of work in conjunction with Einstein’s Alley. These forums examined the changing demographics of the United States; technology, economics, and society; and the effects of robotics and AI on work, workers, and employers.