Ford CEO Jim Farley warned at the Aspen Ideas Festival that while artificial intelligence and other tech innovations are boosting productivity in white-collar roles, they’re leaving behind the workers who truly keep our communities running—factory staff, construction teams, and HVAC technicians.
Backed by research from The Aspen Institute, Farley pointed out that while office productivity has surged by 28%, essential economy roles have seen a decline. Today, millions of positions in manufacturing and construction remain unfilled, a gap that could threaten the stability of our core industries.
He urged us to rethink our reliance on foreign manufacturing and stressed that skilled tradespeople like electricians and welders are crucial for powering technologies—from AI systems to advanced battery plants. Farley even posed a thought-provoking question: if companies like Google can lead in tech, could they also help shore up national defence production?
Criticising the current level of government investment in vocational training, Farley advocated for a greater focus on how tools such as robotics and augmented reality can work hand-in-hand with human expertise. While he acknowledged that robotics might eventually manage 10% to 20% of operations, he made it clear that human creativity and problem-solving still play an irreplaceable role.
One striking example came from a Ford plant in Germany, where a worker ingeniously fixed a jammed truck tailgate using just a bicycle tyre and a wooden slat—a simple, yet powerful reminder that human ingenuity can never be fully replaced.
Ultimately, Farley called on companies and policymakers alike to develop strategies that ease the transition into the AI era while ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to thrive. His message is simple: as we charge ahead with new technologies, we must also commit to supporting the workers who lay the foundation of our success.
