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.