In the midst of economic turbulence and growing global competition, the United States stands at a critical inflection point.
We are entering an era where artificial intelligence ('A.I.') and robotics are not science fiction, but the engine of future prosperity - If embraced thoughtfully, these technologies can rejuvenate our industrial base, close critical labor gaps, and unleash a new wave of productivity and growth across the American economy.
At Foundation Robotics, we see the future unfolding daily. From smart manufacturing floors in the Midwest to autonomous logistics networks on the coasts, AI-driven automation is already rewriting the rules of efficiency.
And yet despite the proven potential, public perception still lags behind reality—and policy lags even further.
It's important to recognize that U.S. labor productivity has been essentially flat since 2010, growing at a sluggish 1.4% annually. Compare this with the postwar boom era, when productivity rose 2.8% per year from 1947 to 1973. The difference is not just academic—it’s the reason wages have stagnated, and why GDP growth feels increasingly disconnected from worker well-being.
As Tech Week NYC approaches, what is clear is that the solution lies in intelligent automation.
According to a 2023 McKinsey Global Institute report, AI and robotics could add up to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy by 2030, with the U.S. poised to capture a large share of that - but only if we act decisively. PwC goes on to estimate that AI alone could contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, of which $3.7 trillion could accrue to North America.
In our own pilots, manufacturers have reported up to 40% reductions in operational costs and 60% gains in throughput when deploying AI-augmented robotic systems. These are not marginal improvements—they are tectonic shifts.
Let me be clear - The fear that robots will take human jobs en masse is both overstated and misguided.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that as of 2024, there are 9.5 million job openings but only 6.5 million unemployed workers. The shortfall is especially acute in manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare—sectors ripe for intelligent automation.
The World Economic Forum projects that by 2025, AI and robotics will displace 85 million jobs—but create 97 million new ones. These are not just tech jobs; they include robot maintenance, AI supervision, adaptive logistics, and smart fabrication roles that pay more and offer upward mobility.
Make no mistake - The jobs of tomorrow will not be low-skill, but new-skill.
That’s why we need a robust workforce transition strategy. Federal and state governments must invest aggressively in vocational retraining and STEM education.
Companies, too, have a duty to upskill existing workers rather than replace them. At Foundation Robotics, over 60% of our field engineers came from non-technical backgrounds before undergoing a 12-week bootcamp.
As China pours billions into AI and robotics R&D—already deploying more industrial robots annually than the next four countries combined—the U.S. must not fall behind.
The stakes are not merely economic; they are geopolitical.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, China installed over 290,000 industrial robots in 2023, compared to around 50,000 in the U.S. The CHIPS and Science Act was a good first step in revitalizing domestic innovation, but we must do more to scale AI infrastructure and robotics deployment nationwide.
AI and robotics represent not just an economic opportunity, but a national revival. With smart policy, private-sector leadership, and public support, we can rebuild the American middle class, revitalize our manufacturing core, and future-proof our economy.
The choice is ours: cling to outdated fears, or lead the next industrial revolution.
If America is to be made great again, I believe America needs to get building again.
