How AI is Reshaping Economies and Societies Across Sectors: 3 Key Takeaways from "Forging the Future”
- The GFCC
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming global economies, driving innovation across industries and redefining how societies work, connect, and deliver healthcare.
According to recent data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), around 60% of jobs in advanced economies are exposed to the effects of AI, a trend that will most likely affect high-skilled professionals and reshape the labor market.
In healthcare, the rise of generative AI is accelerating drug discovery, improving diagnostics, and optimizing clinical workflows. Yet, alongside these breakthroughs come new challenges to ensure ethical, safe, and effective AI implementation.
At Forging the Future: The Intersection of Health, AI, and Tech, held between October 19–21 in Pittsburgh, United States, leaders from over 20 countries working across industry, academia, government, and policy-making explored how AI is reshaping healthcare systems, economies, and societies.
The discussions, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, highlighted strategies to boost place-making innovation and build sustainable pathways for advanced manufacturing, powered by AI and other emerging technologies.
The event gathered more than 300 participants, including high-profile speakers such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman.
Below are three key takeaways from the discussions. A comprehensive report covering all sessions will be released soon.
3 Key Takeaways from "Forging the Future":
1. AI Education: The Missing Bridge
The integration of AI into societies and economies represents both an opportunity and a responsibility. In healthcare, AI’s potential spans clinical decision support, patient experience, administrative efficiency, and drug development. Yet today, the critical bridge to safe and effective use remains education and workforce reskilling.
While predictive analytics is already familiar in medicine, the leap to generative AI requires broad reskilling and AI-literate participation across the healthcare ecosystem. For Dr. Hooman Rashidi, Associate Dean of AI in Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, education must be embedded into every deployment framework: “Every tumor board today lacks an AI-educated participant. That’s a matter of patient safety,” he argued.
Closing the gap between clinicians and AI developers is also crucial to avoid adopting tools without understanding their limitations. At the joint Carnegie Mellon University–University of Pittsburgh Ph.D. Program in Computational Biology, students collaborate directly with physicians to test and refine AI-driven ideas in real-world contexts, strengthening translational innovation.
2. AI is an Enabler, Not a Standalone Solution
AI’s true power lies in enabling human-centered systems, not replacing them. Augmented intelligence enhances human capabilities, but it cannot capture the full scope of human potential.
As Dr. Robert M. Friedlander, Chair of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, noted, “AI isn’t going to replace doctors; doctors who use AI will replace the ones who don’t." For him, the future of care depends on human-AI partnerships that amplify, rather than replace, clinical judgment.
In advanced manufacturing, success depends on combining AI with lean processes and optimized workflows.
Effective AI adoption requires first understanding real-world challenges and listening to end users. Only then can AI accelerate productivity, reduce waste, and deliver measurable impact across industries.
3. Digitization is the Foundation of Progress
AI can be a powerful engine of prosperity, efficiency, and innovation, but without robust digital infrastructure, investments will stall. Many sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and public administration, remain partly paper-based and digitally fragmented.
Robust data architecture integrated with deep domain expertise forms the foundation for AI-driven innovation. As Bryan S. Salesky, CEO of Stack AV, pointed out: “Without clean, organized, and accessible data, even the best algorithms fail.” In healthcare, for instance, about 80% of data remains unstructured, limiting the potential for AI-powered insights.
Until businesses and governments invest in secure IT infrastructure, interoperable data systems, and standardized regulations, the full potential of AI to drive economic prosperity and sustainable innovation will remain untapped.
Learn more about Forging the Future: The Intersection of Health, AI and Tech.
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