As Tech Week kicks off, ‘Freakonomics’ author Stephen Dubner talks AI

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Tech Week officially kicked off Monday with an event featuring “Freakonomics” co-author Stephen Dubner.

A big topic for Tech Week this year is AI , a topic Dubner touched on as he discussed creative destruction: the idea that often, the dismantling of former jobs, ideas and technology can be found in the wake of new innovation.

The invention of the automobile dismantled the problem major cities were having with horse manure, he said; the creation of synthetic fibers decreased the prevalence of mutton and wool; even the introduction of podcasting helped change how news is often disseminated.

Citing economist David Autor , Dubner said 60% of modern-day jobs didn’t exist in 1940. The journalist and radio TV personality said that typically, there will be “evangelists” and “doom sayers” when it comes to the creative destruction process.

During Tech Week, there will certainly be both when it comes to AI, as the tech industry and others wrestle with the good AI can do in healthcare and education, the threats it may be to some jobs, and where it’s going next.

“AI is the dominating theme this year,” Andria Romkema, the senior vice president of marketing and communications for The Right Place and the lead organizer of Tech Week, said. “We have several events on AI and how it’s going to impact all of our work and all of our industries here across West Michigan. There’s a lot of uncertainty around AI and just how quickly are we going to adopt it, what its impacts are going to be.”

Romkema said there will be several tech leaders who will help attendees get a better understanding of AI and to help combat disinformation.

Organized by regional economic development agency The Right Place, Tech Week runs through Sept. 21 and will include more than 70 events happening at venues throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.

Most events are free and organizers are expecting more than 15,000 people.

You don’t have to work in the tech industry to go, Romkema said.

“Tech Week is definitely not just for techies, despite its name. It really is for everybody, because all of our jobs truly have a tech element,” she said. “Tech goes across all of our industries here in West Michigan. Whether you’re in advanced manufacturing or healthcare or HR, tech is part of your role now, and so we want to bring that content forward to everyone.”

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