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In this episode of Work in Progress, we check in from CES 2025 in Las Vegas, “the world’s largest tech event.” Guest Gary Shapiro, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) CEO and vice chairman, says AI remains the buzz word at this year’s CES and he discusses the impact artificial intelligence and other emerging tech will continue to have on the workforce.
“AI has been around for many, many, many years. It flies 95% of the flights we take on airplanes. What changed a little over a year and a half ago was this shift to ChatGPT where anyone with a computer could actually use generative AI that could learn from databases, so the potential is huge,” says Shapiro.
He says this evolution of AI is being rapidly adapted into all industries, from manufacturing to health care to marketing. For workers, this means some tasks will be automated.
“A lot of companies jumped on it and they figured out that a lot of the reports they pay a lot of people to do could be written in a matter of hours with just some simple programming and databases, and you’ll get analysis if you fed in the prior reports.”
But, Shapiro adds, AI is also creating new opportunities for creativity and innovation and you can see it in products on display at CES.
“Those kinds of things are changing the workforce and what some people do, and it’s freed them up to do other higher-level things rather than prepare similar reports all the time.”
My conversation with Shapiro also explores the importance of preparing the American workforce for these technological changes through STEM education, workforce development programs, and policies that enable alternative pathways to careers beyond traditional four-year college degrees.
Shapiro emphasizes the need to balance regulating AI while not stifling innovation that can improve people’s lives.
“I’m excited about AI, but I also understand legitimate concerns. There is a natural fear that we have as human beings when things change. But things are always changing, and that’s always been the case. What’s made humans survive is our adaptability to new situations. We keep improving.”
In the podcast, Shapiro highlights some of the other tech innovation you can see at CES and its role in our lives and workplace.
You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel.

Episode 346: Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chairman, Consumer Technology Association
Host & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNation
Producer: Larry Buhl
Theme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4
Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode here
Work in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here