When Eric Paley took over as economic development secretary in September, he had real anxiety over the fact that, when it came to artificial intelligence, we were not moving fast enough.
Since then, the longtime venture capitalist who calls himself an “AI optimist” noted the state made itself the first in the country to roll out an AI assistant for executive branch employees and to launch a free AI training program available to every Bay Stater.
Driving that push, he said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce event, is the “massive workforce development challenge” of making workers here better at using a technology that’s poised to alter every industry.
“I largely believe the concept that it is much more someone who knows how to use AI that will take your job than AI that will take your job,” Paley said. “That skill set — we see it, by the way, right now in job listings — it is literally a vertical takeoff of job listings in Massachusetts where people are asking, ‘Do you have AI skills? What are your AI skills?’ ”
At least three times during his remarks, Paley mentioned wanting to “win” when it comes to AI. Chamber President James Rooney later said that every governor and chamber chief he talks to “is going to win the AI race.” He asked Paley to describe what winning the AI race would actually mean for Massachusetts.
“I think the biggest enabler of GDP growth going forward in this next phase, I can’t say forever, is actually going to be how we apply AI, right? … I was at one of our largest defense contractors today in the state. If they don’t apply AI successfully, they’re not going to grow as fast as their competitors,” he said.
The secretary continued, “I think if you look at all of the best institutions in Massachusetts, if they do not figure out on their own how to succeed with AI, they will be beaten by rivals elsewhere. So if the Cleveland Clinic is way more sophisticated than [Mass General Brigham] over the next decade, they will accelerate their research, they will accelerate their success. I hope this isn’t the case, so I’m not trying to pick on MGB. But it’s a good example, because it’s the largest employer in the state. And I think we will see a difference in those outcomes if they’re not embracing this technology the way others — well, leading with this technology is really where we need to be.”
Colin A. Young is deputy editor at State House News Service.
