Futureproof Bama was formed to ensure education and innovation are the driving forces as Alabama stares down a massive paradigm shift where up to a million jobs will be lost to robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) driven autonomy.

In 2015, AL.com reported that the top job on Alabama job boards, more than four thousand job postings, were for truck driving. Truck driving is incredibly important to the types of industries found across Alabama, especially when you consider the states focus on manufacturing. With this job being in demand, it is enticing more and more Alabama residents to commit the often significant investment in purchasing a personal truck. A proud moment for many, but will it end up be a wise investment?

Jump to 2016, and now the LA Times is now reporting that Autonomous Trucks like those created by Uber owned startup, Otto, are set to displace more than 1.7 million truck drivers across the country.

This displacement could be devastating to Alabama. According to Indeed, at the time of this posting, the average salary for truck drivers across the state is about $52,000 and is 1% higher than the nationwide average. This number easily moves these families into the middle class. This same idea about the dangers to the middle class was recently echoed by Stephen Hawkings when he said that the middle class would be decimated by these latest innovations.

So where does Alabama go from here?

Our nonprofit paperwork has been filed to start our mission aimed to help all of Alabama, with our Futureproof Bama initiative and we are currently awaiting 501(c)(3) status.

With this initiative, we will firstly focus on the state of Alabama. Secondly, we look to raise awareness for a pending workforce crisis, encourage businesses to continue to innovate and do so in-state and get Alabama ready for working in the new economy.

Just as bulletproof vest protects its wearer, together we will futureproof Alabama together.