MARQUETTE — In a new case study from Northern Michigan University, assistant professor Dr. Jongeun You examines how Michigan is using AI to compete for talent through tools like the Michigan Career Portal and a broader skills-first workforce strategy.

Released through the IBM Center for The Business of Government, the analysis highlights how the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is applying AI to improve job matching, clarify career pathways, and support upskilling across relevant sectors. The study points to the scale of the opportunity, citing projections of up to $70 billion in economic impact and 130,000 good-paying jobs if Michigan leads in AI strategy, infrastructure, and workforce development.

This adds to the evidence that higher education, economic development and workforce systems in the U.P. can be productively aligned around tools that connect people to opportunity around the state.