Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Taylor Stockton, Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. Department of Labor; and Michael Ioffe, Co-Founder and CEO at Arist.

The speakers explored how, as AI reshaped the economy, access to foundational AI skills was becoming a prerequisite for participating in the future of work. They examined a bold new partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor and Arist designed to deliver AI skilling through accessible, bite-sized lessons via one of the most ubiquitous communication channels: text messaging.

This fireside chat focused on how meeting workers where they were could unlock scalable pathways to skill-building, particularly for individuals with limited time, limited access to traditional learning formats, or barriers to more conventional workforce development systems. Panelists discussed how innovative distribution models could expand opportunity, accelerate AI skill adoption, and help more Americans navigate and benefit from the rapidly evolving AI era.

At its core, this conversation examined how broadening access to foundational AI literacy through practical, accessible infrastructure could help make America AI-ready at scale—ensuring that workforce transformation reached every worker, not just those already positioned to benefit.