AI & THE FUTURE OF WORK

Prepare Florida for What Comes Next

AI is going to change how we work, how businesses operate and what skills employers need. That change is coming whether government is ready or not. Frank wants Florida – and Florida workers – ready for it. Frank wants the companies building the future to build in Florida. He wants the investment, the innovation and the jobs that come with them. But bringing those jobs here is only half the job. If we’re bringing the jobs of the future to Florida, we need to make sure Floridians are ready to fill them.

Bring the Jobs of the Future to Florida

Frank believes Florida should compete aggressively for the companies, entrepreneurs and industries shaping the next generation of the American economy. He wants Florida to remain a place where people can start companies, invest, take risks, create jobs and become extraordinarily successful. But Frank doesn't measure economic success by the size of an announcement or the number of companies that relocate here. He wants to know: What does that growth actually do for Floridians? Are we creating good jobs? Are we preparing Florida workers to fill them? Are young people getting opportunities to build careers here? That's how Frank believes we should measure success.

Prepare Floridians Before Jobs Change

AI is going to create new jobs. It's also going to change existing ones. Frank doesn't believe Florida should wait until workers are displaced to start thinking about what comes next. His proposed Florida Future Fund would invest in preparing students and workers for AI and emerging technologies while helping people transition as automation changes their industries and jobs. The goal isn't to fight the future. It's to make sure Floridians have a place in it.

Give People More Than One Path to Success

Preparing Florida for the future isn't just about coding or four-year college degrees. Florida is going to need electricians, HVAC technicians, construction professionals, advanced manufacturing workers, engineers, technology professionals, entrepreneurs and skilled workers of all kinds. That's why Frank wants to expand trade schools, apprenticeships and skilled workforce programs alongside investments in AI and emerging technology education. Frank believes young Floridians should have options. College. A trade. An apprenticeship. Entrepreneurship. Technology. A career. There shouldn't be one definition of success - and there shouldn't be only one path to achieving it.

Invest in People - Not Just Technology

Frank wants the technology investment coming to Florida. But if Florida spends billions attracting new industries and Floridians aren't prepared for the jobs they create, we've missed an enormous opportunity. That's why Frank believes economic development and workforce development need to go together. Don't just bring the future to Florida. Prepare Floridians to lead it.

Help Workers Adapt - Not Get Left Behind

Frank understands that conversations about AI can sound exciting in Tallahassee or a corporate boardroom while feeling very different to someone wondering whether technology is going to change the job they've done for 20 years. Those Floridians can't be an afterthought. Frank's Florida Future Fund would support education and workforce preparation to help people adapt as AI and automation change industries. Frank's approach is to prepare early - give people opportunities to learn new skills, move into growing industries and keep building their future here in Florida.

Connect Technology Investment to Florida Jobs

Frank's approach to AI also connects directly to his plan for responsible data center development. He wants Florida competing for AI infrastructure and technology investment. But when companies receive public incentives or special benefits, Frank believes the public should receive something measurable in return. That can include workforce training, local hiring and investment commitments that connect major technology projects directly to opportunities for Floridians. Frank's philosophy is straightforward: Bring the technology. Bring the jobs. Bring the investment. But make sure Floridians benefit.

View Frank’s Data Centers & AI Infrastructure Plan

The Test Is Simple

Frank doesn't believe Florida wins the AI race just because more technology gets built here. We win when we can say: Florida is attracting the jobs of the future. Florida students and workers are prepared to compete for them. People whose jobs are changing have a path forward. And Floridians are sharing in the opportunity created by our state's growth. AI is coming. Frank wants Florida ready for it - and Floridians ready to lead it.

FRANK J. RUSSO

RACHEL RODRIGUEZ