Workforce Readiness in the Age of AI and Automation
TGIF 2025 is about bridging the readiness gap - the growing disconnect between what schools teach and what the workforce truly needs in the age of AI. As automation reshapes every industry, it’s not just technical skills that are in demand. Employers increasingly seek “human” skills — communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership — yet nearly 60% report difficulty finding them.
At TGIF 2025, we’re convening the educators, employers, students, and innovators who are ready to take action. Together, we’ll explore how education and workforce systems must evolve alongside, amidst, and sometimes despite the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.
In collaboration with Explore: Pittsburgh Tech Week and Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day, TGIF 2025 expands its scope to celebrate Pittsburgh's leadership in AI, robotics, and workforce readiness. This partnership enhances our commitment to fostering cross-industry collaboration and showcasing groundbreaking innovations that define the future of work.
What Makes TGIF Different
The Global Impact Forum brings together three groups who don’t often sit at the same table:
- Educators who are preparing students for the future
- Employers and leaders who are building that future every day
- Students who will be leading it
TGIF is designed as a working event. Every session is interactive, hands-on, or discussion-based. You’ll share tools, test ideas, and co-create real solutions for readiness in a changing world.
Whether you’re redesigning curriculum, launching a new upskilling tool, or hiring the next generation of talent, TGIF gives you space to collaborate with the people shaping the future - not just talk about it.
What You'll Learn and Experience
From classrooms to boardrooms, we’re rethinking how people learn, grow, and lead in an AI-driven world. Sessions at TGIF explore the critical role of soft skills like teamwork and communication — and how we teach, assess, and apply them in a rapidly changing environment.
Here’s a preview of the conversations happening at TGIF 2025:
- Does AI Kill Creativity? — How we protect human critical thinking in an automated world
- AI and the Law: What Do Educators Need to Know? — Legal, ethical, and practical guidance for schools
- AI for All: Play, Code, and Connect Across Borders — Making AI education accessible and global
- Building the AI-Ready Generation — Systems and skills that scale to meet real industry needs
- Rehumanizing the Future — Centering people and dignity in the workforce of tomorrow
- What Skills and Knowledge Will Sustain the Pressures of AI and Automation? — A forward-looking framework for resilience
- Write. Track. Grow. — A live demo of a next-gen writing platform powered by AI
… and many more hands-on sessions, panels, and keynotes led by global experts, educators, and changemakers.
Why Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh is a city built on innovation, resilience, and reinvention. Once the backbone of American industry, it has transformed into a hub for cutting-edge technology, education, and sustainability. Home to world-class universities, thriving startups, and leading companies in robotics and AI, Pittsburgh is the perfect setting to explore the future of work.
Beyond the conference, attendees can experience the city’s vibrant cultural scene, top-tier dining, and scenic riverfront — all within walking distance of the venue.
Pittsburgh’s collaborative ecosystem — from public schools to robotics labs — makes it an ideal testbed for the bold, cross-sector solutions we need now.
Join us at TGIF 2025 to be part of this transformative conversation.
