Texas Christian University wants to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence as it uses the technology to save time processing routine administrative tasks and prepares students for disruptions in the modern workforce.
That’s how Reuben Burch, vice provost of research, framed a discussion on AI for both academia and business during a Fort Worth Report panel Thursday. Panelists described AI as a double-edged sword: It frees people from tedious tasks yet that efficiency could lead to the hollowing of entire industries.
“AI is going to continue to change how most jobs work, good and bad, and how jobs work today is going to be different a year from now, they have to understand that,” Burch said.
Adam Powell, president and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, recounted an experience of his 15-year-old son using ChatGPT to help him better understand geometry than lessons from any tutor he’s had.
His personal experience led to a deeper understanding of the impact these tools can have on learning and within the nonprofit community.
Through United Way’s new developments in AI inclusion and research, Powell made a conclusion about the future workforce: “AI is not going to take your job, but somebody who knows how to use AI probably will,” he said.
Sandra Houston, director of corporate and community giving for Trinity Habitat for Humanity, said she uses AI frequently to organize her writing and tailor proposals to better align with the organization’s mission.
“I’m not a very gifted writer,” Houston said. “But I can use AI to help me be a better writer, kind of guide a little bit. So they’re my words, they’re my thoughts, they’re my sentiment, but it helps me organize it.”
Anthony DeFelice, founder and CEO of Amplus Agency in Fort Worth, attended the discussion. In the digital marketing space, jobs are already beginning to disappear, he said.
“So when they’re saying, ‘Oh, people’s jobs aren’t being replaced.’ Yes, they are,” DeFelice said. “I can’t argue with you more on that, because I employ people to do these things.”
Panelists discuss the use of AI during a Fort Worth Report Candid Conversation on April 2, 2026, at Texas Wesleyan University. Business editor Bob Francis, left, moderated the discussion with Kelly Baggett, innovation coordinator for the city of Fort Worth; Reuben Burch, Texas Christian University’s vice provost of research; Carlo Capua, senior principal at the Rainwater Charitable Foundation; and Adam Powell, CEO and president of United Way of Tarrant County. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Panelists discuss the use of AI during a Fort Worth Report Candid Conversation on April 2, 2026, at Texas Wesleyan University. Business editor Bob Francis, left, moderated the discussion with Kelly Baggett, innovation coordinator for the city of Fort Worth; Reuben Burch, Texas Christian University’s vice provost of research; Carlo Capua, senior principal at the Rainwater Charitable Foundation; and Adam Powell, CEO and president of United Way of Tarrant County. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Burch sees this changing workforce on the horizon and tells students to be cautious with their career paths moving forward.
“Certain industries will have to fight to justify their existence,” he said. “As we talk to students, you have to be really mindful of, ‘Are you going down this career path to not have a job? Because your industry has been disrupted by AI.’”
Kelly Baggett, the city’s innovation coordinator, said she was excited about how small and large businesses in Fort Worth are using AI.
She highlighted Gatik, an autonomous freight company that operates out of the Mobility Innovation Zone in far north Fort Worth’s AllianceTexas development. So far, Gatik has completed more than 60,000 deliveries without an incident, she said.
“Fort Worth is a startup city, and we’re in a pivotal moment right now,” she said. “We see a lot of entrepreneurs using AI, so I think everybody should get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Carlo Capua, senior principal at the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, uses a smart watch that tracks his sleep patterns. He feeds the collected data into an AI program that suggests how he should adjust his daily routines.
“It said, ‘Take your magnesium two hours before bedtime because it will relax your body and make you sleep better,’” he said. “And I sleep an hour more of deep sleep every night because of that one suggestion.”
Capua encouraged parents to talk about AI with their children. A Pew Research survey found that 4 in 10 parents have never talked to their children about the use of AI. Having healthy dialogue around the topic with children is important as AI is used increasingly in schools and at home, he said.
At the university level, TCU is integrating AI across campus through a $10 million partnership with Dell Technologies, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, Burch said. Together, they are expanding access to AI tools for students and faculty.
Burch said the goal is not to replace traditional learning, but to help students understand how to use AI responsibly.
AI isn’t going away, Baggett said. The goal now should be similar to what TCU is striving: Teaching people how to responsibly use AI in their lives, she said.
“The genie is out of the bottle,” Baggett said. “We can’t put the genie back in.”
In case you missed it, click here to watch the discussion.
Joseph Morgan is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at joseph.morgan@fortworthreport.org.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org/2026/04/02/ai-wont-take-your-job-someone-who-knows-how-to-use-it-might-fort-worth-leaders-warn/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&quality=80&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>
<img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://fortworthreport.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=471450&ga4=2820184429″ style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://fortworthreport.org/2026/04/02/ai-wont-take-your-job-someone-who-knows-how-to-use-it-might-fort-worth-leaders-warn/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”//cdn.parsely.com/keys/fortworthreport.org/p.js”></script>