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70 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE by Dylan Nguyen There are fewer topics in the industry today hotter than work- force development, and IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell tackled this head-on in his keynote, "The Future of the Human Workforce: Maximizing Potential in an Automated World," delivered on Wednesday at IPC APEX EXPO. He dis- cussed the role that automation and artificial intelligence (AI) could play as a tool for the industry, allowing for a greater focus on the human aspect of a team, while also providing insight into how "gamification" can motivate and empower. Mitchell began by addressing the rapidly growing impact of AI and machine learning, including OpenAI's ChatGPT. He dis- cussed the pattern of how newer technologies have helped make humans more efficient, allowing us to shift focus onto more important tasks. Take the concept of GPS navigation, for example. Mitchell explained that with GPS, we no longer must use paper maps or memorize streets to get around. This lets us focus on thinking about other things while we drive. Newer technologies allow us to "outsource low-level tasks," allowing humans to focus more on what we're good at, which is cre- ativity. He emphasized that AI is a tool that, like the GPS, can be used to outsource lower-level tasks and give us more time to do better things. Dr. John W. Mitchell: The Future of the Human Workforce Keynote