The AI Economy Still Needs Beginners

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | October 12, 2026 | Lilla Nora Kiss

[karpov]

At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, computer science student Jaylen Carroll found an unexpected connection between artificial intelligence (AI) and horticulture. Drawing on his academic interests, he helped develop a digital visitor experience for the university’s Botanical Gardens. The project proved useful enough that the gardens hired him to continue the work.

It is a modest success story, but perhaps a more revealing one than another billion-dollar AI announcement. A student applied technology to a real problem, discovered its practical value, and earned the opportunity to further develop his skills. This is what workforce readiness should look like.

North Carolina recently attracted international attention when the G20 Innovation Ministerial convened in Chapel Hill in September. The resulting AI Prosperity Objectives recognized the importance of expanding access to AI training and suggested linking educational opportunities to hiring commitments for workers entering the labor market.

These objectives alone cannot guarantee jobs. They should, however, help young people develop the knowledge and practical abilities needed to pursue their ideas and create businesses that mean employment. They also raise a question: Who will prepare the next generation to participate in the AI economy?

As Mark McNeilly, Professor of the Practice at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, recently argued in this series, universities need an AI strategy. I would take that argument further. The success of any institutional strategy should ultimately be measured by what students actually learn and whether their education prepares them to contribute beyond campus. The foundation of this strategy should be teaching the guiding principles and specific knowledge of each field, encouraging students to master their disciplines and become experts who can use AI responsibly to make their work more efficient.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education
KEYWORDS: ai; college; llm

[Libloather]

Learn to code.

[Jonty30]

They shouldn’t be firing anybody because of AI. We can increase the productivity of every job so that people are worth keeping around.

I cant be an absolutist on this because of realities, but that is what we should be shooting for. If we can make somebody’s job profitable by increasing their workload, that is what we should be doing.