Beyond AI: The New American Dream

Event ID: PP1162896

Sun, Mar 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Venue: Topaz Ballroom 1-3 (The LINE)

View on Official SXSW

Summary

The American workforce is shifting faster than anyone expected. A four-year college degree is no longer the sole path to economic stability. As AI automates many white-collar roles, demand for skilled trades is accelerating—electricians, HVAC technicians, welders, and operators who will build and maintain the infrastructure behind the AI boom itself. Yet millions of workers have been told these careers do not represent “success.” In this session, the Business for Good Foundation explores why hands-on careers may become the most stable and upwardly mobile jobs of the next decade, and how philanthropy, business, and policymakers can create new pathways, remove barriers, and expand access to a modern American Dream.

Contributors

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