My first degree was in economics. I always gravitated toward the big-picture, macroeconomic view. During my first career at Sierra Health, in our finance department, I had a peer named Tim Coulter who was brilliant but perpetually convinced that an economic crash was imminent. At first, his doomsday outlook sounded persuasive, until it became a running joke.
In contrast, I’ve always been more of an optimist, even when media implores us to take the Tim Coulter view. I look at the AI revolution as an opportunity for better quality of life, not just for the rich but for all of us.
At Vegas Stronger, our work focuses on mental illness and substance use disorders. But I’ve long believed that until we help people out of poverty, we haven’t finished the job. Economic stability is part of recovery. And yet, I’ve grown concerned. Just last year, Amazon provided relatively low-barrier jobs with decent wages. Now, I hear reports of massive warehouses run by automated systems—where humans are being replaced by machines.
This shift raises a sobering question: as autonomous vehicles replace drivers and robots replace factory workers, where do displaced workers pivot?
Yes, healthcare, nursing, behavioral health, and the skilled trades will remain logical choices. But so will something less obvious and just as essential: the arts.
Last week I had a wonderful conversation over coffee with Daz Weller, Peter Wise, and Ann Pongracz, talking about the Vegas Theatre Company’s Black Box at Art Square. These discussions weren’t just about plays; they were about meaning, empathy, creativity, and what sustains us as a community.
The arts, design, media, entertainment, and storytelling are not luxuries, they are the industries of human imagination. And they may be the most “future-proof” areas we can invest in as AI transforms the workforce.
Here’s why:
- Human vs. Machine: AI can take over technical and repetitive tasks, but what remains uniquely human are empathy, creativity, and connection, the very qualities the arts nurture.
- Future-Proof Skills: Arts education builds imagination, emotional intelligence, and collaboration, skills that will only become more valuable in an AI-driven world.
- Empathy & Civic Health: Art helps us understand perspectives beyond our own, strengthening social bonds and civic life.
- Mental Health & Resilience: In an era of digital isolation and automation, the arts provide meaning, joy, and healing.
- Robots can compute, but only people can connect. The arts teach us how.
My friend Tim Coulter probably looks at AI revolutions as catastrophic for jobs and increasing the wealth gap…I look at it as a way to improve our quality of life and increase our focus on the arts and our empathy. If we want the next generation to thrive alongside AI, we must give them the creativity and resilience that only the arts can provide.
I am so happy that Vegas Stronger provides an acting class for our clients, taught by the acclaimed actor Peter Wise. Studies show that theater can reduce relapse, increase emotional resilience, and even help rebuild neural pathways damaged by addiction. Our acting class gives our clients a powerful new outlet for creativity, connection, and growth, all within the safety and support of the Vegas Stronger community.
