On the Record: The future of manufacturing in NC

>> IT'S TIME TO GO ON THE

RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

FOR THIS EPISODE OF ON THE

RECORD TONIGHT. LET'S TALK

ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S VISION

FOR THE FUTURE. HE SAYS HE

WANTS TO BRING MANUFACTURING

BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.

HE SAYS TARIFFS CAN MAKE IT

HAPPEN.

>> JOBS AND FACTORIES WILL COME

ROARING BACK INTO OUR COUNTRY

AND YOU SEE IT HAPPENING

ALREADY. WE WILL SUPER JUDGE

JUDGE DOMESTIC INDUSTRIAL BASE.

>> SO HOW EXACTLY WILL TARIFFS

BRING BACK MANUFACTURING?

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE. NOW, KEEP IN

MIND, IT IS MUCH MORE

COMPLICATED THAN US. BUT HERE'S

THE JEST. IF A COMPANY CAN MAKE

A WIDGET IN CHINA FOR 5 BUCKS

BECAUSE OF CHEAP LABOR, BUT

MAKING THAT SAME WIDGET IN

AMERICA COSTS 9 BOX. THE

COMPANY IS GOING TO CHOOSE THE

CHEAPER OPTION. BUT THE

PRESIDENT TARIFFS ARE TAXES.

THOSE 100% ON SHIPMENTS FROM

CHINA. NOW THAT $5, WHICH IT

COST $10 TURNING THE $9

AMERICAN MADE WIDGET INTO THE

CHEAPER OPTION. THE TARIFF ACT

AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THOSE

COMPANIES TO BUILD AND

MANUFACTURE AND WORK IN

AMERICA. THAT'S THE THEORY.

ANYWAY. NOW, CRITICS WILL SAY

THAT THOSE COMPANIES ARE JUST

GOING TO KEEP BUYING FROM CHINA

IN S'MORE PAST THAT 100%

INCREASE ON TO THE CONSUMER.

4, WE MIGHT TO STOP BUYING STOP

BECAUSE IT GETS TOO EXPENSIVE

AND WE STOPPED BY STUFF.

THAT'S BAD FOR THE ECONOMY

COULD LEAD TO LAYOFFS. ECONOMIC

WOES OR EVEN A RECESSION.

LET'S SAY THAT THAT TARIFF

THEORY DOES WORK. SUPPOSE

COMPANIES DO BRING

MANUFACTURING BACK TO THE

UNITED STATES? WELL, TONIGHT,

WE WANT TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT

MIGHT LOOK LIKE BECAUSE YOU

WANT TO BE READY WHEN IT DIES.

MANUFACTURING TODAY IS LESS

LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

AND MORE LIKE AN EPISODE OF

THE JETSONS. AND FRANKLY, WE

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO

UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE TALKED

TO PROFESSORS, INDUSTRY LEADERS

AND WORKERS ADVOCATES ABOUT

THE REAL RETURN TO

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION.

THEY KEEP TELLING US.

>> THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED

THE WORKERS AS MUCH AS WE NEED

ENGINEERS, I WOULD NEVER TELL.

EVEN 5 YEARS AGO DOWN THAT THE

ANIMATION IS WHERE IT IS.

THE CURRENT TREND IS THE

TECHNOLOGY.

>> AND THE AUTOMATION. IT DOES

LOOK LIKE SCIENCE FICTION CAN

BE SCARY. LET'S BE HONEST.

IT CAN BE A LITTLE ALARMING TO

SOME PEOPLE. THERE IS NO WAY

AROUND IT.

SO SINCE WE CAN'T GET AROUND

IT, LET'S JUST DIVE RIGHT IN,

SHALL WE?

>> AND TRUST ME IF YOU HAVE NOT

BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S

HAPPENING IN THIS SPACE, SOME

OF THIS IS ABOUT TO SHOCK.

YOU.

LET'S START WITH HIS FACTORY IN

MEXICO. THAT MAKES BEER BECAUSE

AFTER YOU SEE THIS, YOU MIGHT

NEED WANT. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE

WHO MAKE MODELO AND CORONA.

SOME OF THE MOST PURCHASED

BEERS IN THE WORLD. THEY BATTLE

THEM BY THE MILLIONS IN THE

USE. 70 LASER GUIDED VEHICLES

THAT WORK NONSTOP ON THE FLOOR

AND REPLACED

250 FORKLIFT OPERATORS. NOW

WITH AUTOMATION AND AI, THEY

DO EVERYTHING WITH JUST 6

PEOPLE.

>> FRANKLY, LASER GUIDED

VEHICLES WHEN THEY NEED A

BATTERY CHANGE, THEY GO UP.

THEY PULL UP AND THEY SAY

CHANGE NO MATTER WHAT. POISON

THE BRAKES BOYS NEED LAUNCHES

EMPLOYEES. COLIN CENTER AND

FACTORY WORKER WITH A LASER

GUIDED DOWN.

>> BUT SOME COMPANIES CAN DO IT

WITH LESS THAN 6 PEOPLE.

THIS IS THE PORT OF ROTTERDAM

IN THE NETHERLANDS. ONE OF THE

BUSIEST SHIPPING PORTS IN THE

WORLD WHERE THEY LOAD AND

UNLOAD SIMULTANEOUSLY ENTIRELY

WITH ROBOTS. THOSE TRANSPORTERS

THAT YOU SEE THERE ARE FULLY

AUTOMATED DRIVEN BY AI.

>> THIS IS THE LAND OF THE

ROBOTS IS NOT JUST A LITTLE

TOO INTENSE STOCKS OVER THE

BALL OFF THE BOTTLE. THAT'S I

CURRENTLY. THERE'S NOBODY ON

THE GROUND AND THEN WHERE

IS IT? IT PUTS IT IN THE STATE

OF ITS PARTS WITH HIM TO A REAL

THE ONLY TO SQUEEGEE HUMANS

DAYS. YOU KNOW THIS THIS RIGHT

NOW.

>> IN CHINA THERE LEADING THE

WAY WITH SOMETHING CALLED DARK

FACTORIES SOUNDS SINISTER, BUT

THEY CALL THE KNOT BECAUSE THE

LIGHTS ARE OFF. ROBOTS CAN WORK

IN THE DARK. THEY CAN OPERATE

ENTIRE PRODUCTION LINE FROM RAW

MATERIALS TO FINISHED PRODUCT

WITH AUTOMATION. THIS IS A

PROMO VIDEO FROM CHINESE

COMPANY. SHALL ME. IT'S AN

80,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY

THAT PRODUCES A NEW SMARTPHONE.

EVERY 3 SECONDS. THE COMPANY'S

FOUNDER GAVE A TOUR ON X

SHOWING THE HANDFUL OF PEOPLE

WHO ACTUALLY WORKED THERE

WEARING CLEAN SUITS, MONITORING

PRODUCTION FROM WHAT LOOKS LIKE

THE BRIDGE OF THE STARSHIP

ENTERPRISE. THEY HAVE AN EV

FACILITY TO WITH THE SAME

STORY. A NEW CAR FROM RAW

MATERIAL TO ROAD EVERY 76

SECONDS OF THE REPORT DOING IT

WITH JUST 20 PEOPLE AND 381

ROBOTS NOW FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE

IN 1980, THE FORD MOTOR PLANT

IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, MADE FAR

LESS COMPLICATED VEHICLES.

MIND YOU AND THEY DID IT WITH

30,000 PEOPLE. TO BE FRANK.

THOSE DAYS ARE COMING BACK.

THIS IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED.

SO WE BROUGHT IN 2 PROFESSORS

FROM NC STATE WHO ARE HELPING

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET READY.

SO ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE

TARIFFS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING

BACK IS TO BRING BACK THE

GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN

MANUFACTURING. HOW FAR DO YOU

THINK WE ARE FROM THOSE GOLDEN

AGE YEARS BACK IN THE 60'S AND

70'S.

>> WE'VE SEEN THE PICKUP SINCE

WE HAD THAT PANDEMIC. I THINK

THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED.

AND 4 FOR US. WHEN COMPANIES

STARTED COMING TO US AND ASKING

FOR HELP ASKING HOW DO WE BRING

MANUFACTURING BACK? AND THEY

KNEW THAT THEY NEEDED TO APPLY

MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND

AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS IS

OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE PART OF

THAT SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING

TO TAKE. THAT'S A BIG PART OF

THE WAY THE SYSTEM RUNS

NOWADAYS. YES, HOW COMPLICATED

IS THAT FOR?

>> A COMPANY TO UNDERTAKE WHEN

THEY'RE NOT USED TO SOMETHING

LIKE THAT. IT'S KIND OF A ROLE

I'M PLAYING WHEN DEPARTMENT IS

HOW TO INTEGRATE REBOUNDS,

SONAR, TECHNOLOGY FIELDS AND TO

THE AUTOMATION. AND RIGHT NOW

THE COMPANIES ARE THE KIND OF

SPIRIT WITH THAT TASK FOR NOT

REALLY SURE HOW TO DO THE

INTEGRATION. SO THESE COMPANIES

ARE COMING TO YOU AND ASKING

HOW DO WE DO THIS? BUT THE

ANSWERS ARE PRETTY VAST BECAUSE

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPANIES

DOING IT. VERY DYNAMIC WAYS

ACROSS THE GLOBE.

>> YES, AND OF COURSE, THERE IS

A MORE AND MORE MODERN

TECHNOLOGY. THEY'RE COMING

ONLINE. PART OF THE RESEARCH

THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS IS HOW

DO WE MAKE THESE AUTOMATION

SYSTEMS MORE FLEXIBLE? AND WITH

THAT IS USING MACHINE LEARNING

AI AND THOSE CONCEPTS TO AND

TO BID BUILD A SYSTEM THAT CAN

ADJUST AND ADAPT ITSELF FOR TO

BE MORE DATA. WHEN I THINK OF

THE MANUFACTURING THAT MY

GRANDFATHER WAS INVOLVED IN,

HE GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> GOT MARRIED, STARTED.

A FAMILY STARTED WORKING AT

THE FACTORY IN OVER HIS YEARS

THERE. HE WORKED HIS WAY UP TO

BEING A FOREMAN AND A MANAGER

IN THAT FACTORY. BUT IT DIDN'T

TAKE FORMAL COLLEGIATE OR

UNDERGRADUATE OR EVEN COMMUNITY

COLLEGE TYPES OF DEGREES.

NOTHING LIKE THAT. HE JUST WENT

RIGHT TO WORK. BUT IF I FEEL

LIKE THAT'S NOT REALLY THE THE

SAME PATH NOWADAYS.

>> NO, AND WE'RE ALSO A PART

OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN

THIS AREA. SO WHEN

WE HAVE LARGE COMPANIES ARE

LOOKING AT SETTING UP FACTORIES

AROUND THIS AREA. WE GET

INVOLVED AND WHAT HAS BEEN VERY

COMMON OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF

YEARS IS THAT THEY KEEP TELLING

US THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED

THE WORKERS AS MUCH AS WE NEED.

ENGINEERS BECAUSE THEY SAID IN

EFFECT, WE THAT WE BUILD

TODAY'S GOING TO BE FULLY

AUTOMATED AND WE NEED A LOT

OF ENGINEERS TO RUN THE AND

THAT IS ALSO ONE OF THE REASON

WHY THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

AND AS A STATE BY NOW IS

EXPANDING FROM 10,000 STUDENTS

TO ABOUT 14,000 STUDENTS.

AND THAT IS THAT DEMAND COMING

FROM THE LOCAL INDUSTRY.

THEY NEED MORE ENGINEERS EVERY

YEAR. OBVIOUSLY REMOVING PEOPLE

FROM THE PROCESS OF OF CREATION

OF CREATING A PRODUCT FOR

PEOPLE.

>> IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING

THAT WILL BE ARGUED AGAINST

HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

JIMMY PEOPLE UNIONS ARE NOT

GOING TO STAND FOR DARK

FACTORIES TO BE TO RUNNING IN

THIS COUNTRY. IS THAT SOMETHING

THAT WE SHOULD FEAR IN A WAY OR

DO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THE

INEVITABILITY THAT THIS IS THE

WAY THE WORLD IS MOVING?

I THINK THE

AND THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THAT

IF WE'RE GOING TO BE

COMPETITIVE, IF WE'RE GOING

FOR NEWS GOODS THAT ARE

AFFORDABLE.

>> WE HAVE TO ADOPT A

AUTOMATION INTO THE PRODUCTION.

AND THAT IS WHERE BY THE

UNIVERSE IS ALSO NOW GETTING

MORE INVOLVED WITH THE

WORKFORCE TRAINING. SO YOU'RE

UP TRAINING, SIR, SOMEBODY THAT

MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WELDER OR

SOMETHING ELSE IN THE PAST

GETS UP GRATED 2 AND MORE OF AN

ADVANCED OPERATOR AND SO THAT'S

WHERE THERE'S A BIG PUSH AROUND

THE COUNTRY FOR ALL TYPES OF

OF THE WORKFORCE TRAINING

PROGRAMS AND THE UNIVERSITY IS

GOING TO PLAY A BIG ROLE IN

THAT AUTOMATION IS IS THERE

TO THEM. OF COURSE, YOU CAN

MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT,

MAKE A FACTORY SAFER. BUT IT

ALSO IS THERE TO CUT COSTS BY

HAVING FEWER PEOPLE TO PAY,

WHICH IS WHY YOU PUT THE

UPFRONT INVESTMENT THERE SO

THAT OVER THE LONG TERM YOU DO

HAVE TO PAY AS MANY EMPLOYEES.

TO MAKE THE PRODUCT. I MEAN,

THERE'S JUST SIMPLY IS NOT THE

SAME AMOUNT OF JOBS WHEN YOU

HAVE.

>> ROBOTICS REPLACING PEOPLE.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT JOBS. SO IF

YOU HAVE A SOMEBODY THAT HAS

BEEN A WELDER, IF THAT PERSON

GETS TRAINED TO PROGRAM ROBOTS

TO DO THE WELDING HE MIGHT BE

ABLE TO CONTROL A FEW ROBOTS

AND THEY WILL BE DOING THE JOB.

24 7 AND THAT WEIGHED THAT.

YOU CAN PRINT NEWS MORE WITH

LESS RESOURCES, BUT THEY MIGHT

NOW BE LESS PEOPLE OVERALL.

IF THAT MAKES SENSE. WE'LL

TYPICALLY IF YOU ARE DOING

SOMETHING, 24 7, YOU WOULD NEED

MORE THAN ONE PERSON. SO YOU

THE EMPLOYEE. SO INSTEAD OF

HAVING 3 OR 4 EMPLOYEES DOING

THAT, WORKING ON ONE.

>> IT'S WELL. BUT SOMETIMES

THERE THERE ARE THE IT'S TOO

EXPENSIVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE

SHIFTS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF

PRODUCTION. SO INSTEAD OF JUST

HAVING ONE SHIFT, WE PEOPLE YOU

CAN RUN MULTIPLE SHIFT. BUT IN

UTILIZING THE AUTOMATION AND

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NORMALLY

THAT WOULD DO THE WELDING ON

NOW IN CHARGE OF PROGRAMMING.

THE ROBOTS BECAUSE EVEN IF

YOU'RE GOING TO PROGRAM A ROBOT

TO DO WELL IN, YOU STILL NEED

TO HAVE THE WELDING KNOWLEDGE.

A LOT OF WAYS. IT'S NOT GOING

TO WORK IN A WAY. IS THERE

ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE WHERE YOU

LOOK ANOTHER 10, 15, 20 YEARS

DOWN?

THE LINE?

>> AND IMAGINE WHAT THIS SECTOR

MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

>> IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO

LOOK AT FOR ANY FUTURE. I WOULD

NEVER TELL. EVEN 5 YEARS AGO

DOWN THAT THE ANIMATION IS

WHERE IT IS. AND BIG RATION.

SEE THAT ANIMATION. IS THIS

STORM REALLY SLOW? IN SOME WAYS

YOU SEE IS WHAT WAS HAPPEN

REALLY, REALLY FAST. THERE.

WHAT DOES THE WORLD LOOK LIKE?

IF

AUTOMATION REACHES ITS

POTENTIAL, ESPECIALLY WITH

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, WHICH

WOULD COMPLETELY CHANGE ALL

TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION

SHIPPING. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE IDEA OF

AND AUTOMATED GROCERY STORE

AUTOMATED EVERYTHING.

RESTAURANTS.

WHAT IS HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT

THAT WORLD?

>> AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE

THEY'RE GOING TO BE CERTAIN

THINGS TO THAT. PEOPLE MIGHT

TRY AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO

BACK OFF FROM IT BECAUSE HE

WASN'T A

GOOD EXPERIENCE. WE'VE SEEN

FROM JAPAN WHERE THEY HAVE

AUTOMATIC AND RESTAURANTS WHERE

THEY'RE ROBOTIC WAITERS AND

AND THEY'VE TRIED TO INTRODUCE

THAT IN THE UNITED STATES AS

WELL. BUT PEOPLE DO WE LIKE IT

MIGHT BE NOVELTY IN THE

BEGINNING, BUT YOU CAN HAVE THE

SAME CONVERSATION WITH A ROLE

WITH THAT. YOU CAN HAVE WITH

THE WITH THE HUMAN BE. SO AS I

THINK THAT THERE'S STILL

CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE MIGHT

RIGHT AND IT MIGHT BE A FUN

THING FOR A LITTLE BIT. AND

THEN WE'RE GOING TO BACK OFF

FROM IT. WELL, I THINK THANKS

BOTH TO BOTH OF YOU FOR COMING

IN THAT I COULD TALK TO FOR A

LONG TIME. BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE

CLASSES TO TEACH ITSELF, BUT

WE'LL LET YOU GO FOR YOUR TIME,

RIGHT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> NOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE

THINKING, WOW, THIS CERTAINLY

SEEMS IMPORTANT.

>> BUT IT ALSO SEEMS REALLY

BIG PICTURE IN THAT CASE.

LET'S ZOOM IN BECAUSE THIS

TECHNOLOGY IS REDEFINING THE

SURVIVAL OF NORTH CAROLINA'S

BACKBONE.

>> WHAT I'M MISSING THE MOST IS

HOW IT'S IT'S GETTING INTO AND

EVERYTHING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE

GOT POSITION PAPERS ON A NUMBER

OF TOPICS. WE HAVE A POSITION

PAPER. THE TALKS ABOUT AND YOU

HAVE A MISSION IN FARMING.

SO IT'S IT'S IN PLACES THAT

YOU WOULDN'T

NECESSARILY EXPECT.

>> COMING UP NEXT, WHAT

AUTOMATION LOOKS LIKE IN OUR

STATE'S BIGGEST INDUSTRY.

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FARMERS

AND THE PROBLEM WHEN WE'RE BACK

ON THE RECORD

BOLSTERING MANUFACTURING SHOULD

BE IMPORTANT TO YOU. IT'S

CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO THE

STATE IS ONE OF NORTH

CAROLINA'S BIGGEST INDUSTRIES

WITH 470,000 WORKERS. BUT

>> IT'S NOT THE BIGGEST.

THE FOUNDATION OF NORTH

CAROLINA'S SUCCESS AND OUR

IDENTITY ISN'T OUR LARGEST

INDUSTRY. AGRICULTURE. IT

GENERATES 111 BILLION DOLLARS

FOR OUR STATE AND OUR ECONOMY

EVERY YEAR. ACCOUNTS FOR

728,000 JOBS. THAT IS 16% OF

OUR TOTAL WORKFORCE. THAT IS

NEARLY ONE OUT OF EVERY 5

PEOPLE AND MUCH LIKE

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION IS

CREATING AN ARMS RACE AND

PUSHING OUT TRADITIONAL

WORKERS. IT'S TOUGH TO FIGHT

FOR THE SMALLER FAMILY-OWNED

FARMS BETWEEN 1992 IN 2022.

NORTH CAROLINA HAS LOST MORE

THAN 10,000 FAMILY-OWNED FARMS

WHILE THE NUMBER OF CORPORATE

OWNED FARMS HAS MORE THAN

DOUBLED. AND IT'S EASY TO SEE

WHY THEY CAN INVEST BIG MONEY

INTO TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATION

LIKE THIS. JOHN DEERE TRACTOR.

HE HAS AN AUTONOMOUS MODE.

IT WORKS THE FIELD BY ITSELF

WITH AN EMPTY SEAT USING AI

IN PROGRAMMING. AND IF THIS

DOESN'T LOOK CYBER DINE ENOUGH

FOR YOU, TRY THIS, JOHN DEERE.

ALSO ROLL THESE OUT A FULLY

ELECTRIC ENTIRELY AUTONOMOUS

VEHICLE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A

DRIVER'S SEAT. BUT YOU MIGHT BE

THINKING TO YOURSELF, DAN, I'M

PRETTY SURE SOME OF OUR LOCAL

FARMS CAN AFFORD A FEW OF

THOSE. AND YOU'D BE RIGHT.

BUT I'M JUST GETTING STARTED.

LET'S LOOK NOW. IT'S SOMETHING

THAT NEED A MUCH BIGGER DOWN

PAYMENT. THIS IS A VERTICAL

FARM. A COMPANY CALLED BOWERY

IN NEW JERSEY IS A FOUR-STORY

WAREHOUSE. THEY MAKE ROMAINE

LETTUCE THAT IN SOME CASES IS

NEVER TOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS.

EVERYTHING IS DONE WITH

ROBOTICS AND AI.

>> IF THINGS ARE KIND OF MOVING

ON THEIR OWN A LITTLE BIT, WHY

WOULD A HUMAN BEING? WE NEED TO

GET UP HERE WHEN?

TYPICALLY THESE STRAINS ARE

BROUGHT DOWN FOR PROCESSING AND

KIND OF INTERVENTION. WE DON'T

REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE

ARE INVOLVED IN THE BREWING

PROCESS. BUT HOW HOW DO WE TAKE

PEOPLE OUT OF THE GROWING

PROCESS? YEAH, OUR GOAL IS TO

ACTUALLY HAVE AS FEW PEOPLE

WALKING AROUND OUR PLANS A

POSSIBLE.

>> THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES

ARE POPPING UP ALL OVER THE

WORLD. AND WITH FEWER

EMPLOYEES, THEY CAN QUICKLY

BECOME PROFITABLE ME. THINK

ABOUT IT. THEY NEVER WORRY

ABOUT THE WEATHER. NO INSECTS,

THEY DON'T USE PESTICIDES.

THEY USE LESS WATER. ALSO WHEN

YOU'RE GROWING INDOORS AND

CONTROLLING ALL OF THAT, YOU

CAN GROW ANYTHING ANYWHERE.

YEAR ROUND. THE NEW YORK TIMES

PROFILED A FACILITY IN KENTUCKY

THAT PRODUCES 10 MILLION HEADS

OF LETTUCE A YEAR. AND ONE

EXECUTIVE SAID WE CAN GROW IN

THE ANTARCTIC. WE CAN BE ON AN

ISLAND. WE CAN BE ON THE MOON

OR IN THE SPACE STATION.

WE SPOKE TO AN ADVOCATE FOR

FARMWORKERS WHO HAS WATCHED

THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES

POP-UP AND SEES THEM AS A

REAL THREAT.

>> SO YOU HAVE THESE MADE THESE

CORPORATE FARMS THAT HAVE THE

CAPITAL TO INVEST IN MEXICO AND

BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE IN

MEXICO, EVERYTHING IS UNDER

THE ROOF.

AND SO EVERYTHING IS AND THEY

GOT CLIMATE CONTROL. WE GOT ALL

KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY

AND AUTOMATION. THE GOD, THE

IRRIGATION DRIP IRRIGATION.

>> TO GROW CROPS UNDER THE ROOF

AND THE SMALL FAMILY FARMER

WHO COMPETES AND SAY LIKE IN

THE STRAWBERRIES THEY CAN

COMPETE WITH DRISCOLL. THE 2

GIRLS STRAWBERRIES IN

WASHINGTON STATE. THE BUCK ON

YEAR-ROUND. AND I'M CURIOUS,

HOW DO YOU THINK THEY PICK

STRAWBERRIES IN SOME OF THOSE

YEAR-ROUND FACILITIES? I'LL

GIVE YOU ONE GUESS.

>> AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE

ONE OF THE 16 RIVALS THAT PICK

MISSED ROBORACE AND THEY PICKED

200,000 SCHOOL BUS AND IN

AUSTIN ON, IT'S READY TO PICK

BECAUSE THEY HAVE IS STICKING

OUT LIKE THAT. BUT BY DAVID

BETTER. SO THEY HAVE A PERFECT

STROBER.

>> THE DISHES.

>> THAT WAS A FARM IN ENGLAND.

THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS

PROFILED BY THE LA TIMES IN

CALIFORNIA. THE ROBOTS USE

CAMERAS AND AI TO DETERMINE

WHICH STRAWBERRIES ARE RIGHT

AND WHICH ONES NEED

MORE TIME.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO

COMPETE WITH. THE SMALL FAMILY

FARMER WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT

CABIN. WHO DOESN'T KNOW THAT

TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T HAVE UNDER

THE RULES ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE

CLIMATE CONTROL IN THE U.S..

AND IF THEY HAD THE CAPITAL,

PERHAPS A GOOD MOVE BUT THAT'S

NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN

THE U.S.. THE

FACT IS.

>> OUR FAMILY FARMS NEED TO

INNOVATE AS CORPORATE FARMS

CONTINUE TO CUT THEIR MARGINS

WITH AUTOMATION, A TRADITIONAL

FARM WITH PEOPLE WORKING LAND

WON'T BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN.

THE FEAR IS THAT THEY WILL

SHUTTER OR BE GOBBLED UP UNLESS

THE WORKFORCE EVOLVES. I'VE

ALWAYS SAID THAT FOR WORKERS,

THE WORKERS HAVE COME AND WORK

ON THOSE FUNDS, WHICH IS MY

MAIN CONCERN.

>> THE IMPACT IS GOING TO HAVE

ON THEM. THERE'S GOT TO BE A

JUST TRANSITION FROM THAT JOB

INTO SOMETHING ELSE. AN

EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE AN

IMPORTANT PART TO INVEST FOR

THE CHILDREN OF FARM WORKERS

BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE

ABLE TO FOLLOW IN THEIR

PARENTS, FOOTSTEPS.

>> COMING UP, HOW YOU CAN RIDE

THIS WAVE OF INNOVATION SAID

OF BEING WASHED AWAY BY IT AND

WHAT'S BEING DONE TO HELP KEEP

NORTH CAROLINA AT THE FOREFRONT

OF THIS NEW FRONTIER. WHEN

WE'RE BACK ON THE RECORD.

THIS WHOLE EPISODE. WE HAVE

FOCUSED A LOT ON AUTOMATION.

HOW THESE ROBOT OUT THERE IN

THEIR PROGRAMMING ARE CHANGING

INDUSTRIES AND JOBS. BUT THESE

COMPANIES REMEMBER ARE STILL

GOING TO NEED PEOPLE. A REPORT

FROM THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

PREDICTS THAT AI WILL DISPLACE

MILLIONS OF JOBS, BUT WILL

CREATE 69 MILLION NEW JOBS.

IT'S A TOTAL LOSS OF

14 MILLION, WHICH STAT DO YOU

WANT TO BE? IT? AND IF YOU

THINK THAT IS SOME FAR OFF

THING, IT IS NOT. THAT REPORT

IS BASED ON THE NEXT 5 YEARS.

BUT COMPANIES IN SCHOOLS AND

STATE LEADERS KNOW THIS AND

THEY ARE PREPARING THE NEXT

GENERATION. EARLIER. YOU HEARD

FROM THOSE PROFESSORS AT NC

STATE NOW WAKE TECH IS BUILDING

A NEW FACILITY FOR ITS ADVANCED

MANUFACTURING PROGRAM AND SEE

CENTRAL UNIVERSITY STARTED IN

AI RESEARCH INSTITUTE LAST

YEAR. THE TRAINING CAN START AS

EARLY AS HIGH SCHOOL WHO

RECENTLY PROFILED A BUNCH OF

TRIBAL AREAS. STUDENTS WHO

COMPETE IN ROBOTICS

COMPETITIONS. THEY DESIGN BUILD

AND PROGRAM THESE ROBOTS AS A

FIELD THAT'S MOVING SO QUICKLY.

EVEN TEENAGERS CAN SEE THE

PROGRESSION. IMAGINE WHAT

THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THROUGHOUT

THEIR CAREER. LIKE HOW MUCH

FORESEE LIKE AS A ROBOTICS

COMPETITION HAS?

>> DEVELOPED IN LIKE EVEN JUST

LIKE THE LAST 10 YEARS IS IT'S

CRAZY. I MEAN, SO LIKE IF YOU

WATCH MATCHES FROM LIKE 5 YEARS

AGO, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE

PROGRESS THAT'S COME. THE

ROBOTS ARE FASTER. THEY'RE MORE

ACCURATE. LIKE EVERYTHING IS

MORE DYNAMIC.

>> INDUSTRY INSIDERS AGREE

THESE EFFORTS IN EDUCATION ARE

HUGE AND CAN PREPARE OUR STATE

FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING. IF PEOPLE

BUY IN.

>> WE ABSOLUTELY CAN BRING

MANUFACTURING BACK AND MAKE

IT STRONGER CERTAINLY THAN IT

IS RIGHT NOW. IT'S ABSOLUTELY

INVOLVED IT'S NOT GOING TO BE

THE MANUFACTURING THAT WE

SIGNED TO THEM 50'S AND 60'S.

LAST YEAR ALONE, WE'VE TRAINED

OVER 14,000 PEOPLE AND MANY OF

THEM WERE TECHNICIANS NOT JUST

ENGINEERS, NOT JUST MANAGERS

AND SO THIS. THIS GOES TO SHOW

THAT THERE'S A GREAT DEMAND FOR

THOSE TECHNICIANS AND FOR THOSE

PEOPLE TO HAVE THOSE

CREDENTIALS.

SOMEBODY IS USING THEM.

SOMEBODY IS PAYING FOR THESE

COURSES. AND SO THE DEMAND IS

THERE FOR SURE.

>> NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS

CAN BE INTIMIDATING. IF YOU'RE

MY AGE OR OLDER, YOU'VE

PROBABLY SEEN WHAT IT LOOKS

LIKE WHEN INDUSTRY CHANGES

RAPIDLY WHEN I GREW UP IN THE

OHIO VALLEY, FACTORIES WERE THE

BACKBONE FROM WHEELING TOO

WEIRD. AND WHEN YOU DROVE UP

THE RIVER ON A FRIDAY NIGHT,

YOU SEE THOSE LIGHTS GLOWING

FOR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES,

LITTLE TOWNS BUILT AROUND

INDUSTRY. ALL THOSE LIGHTS ARE

OUT NOW. THOSE JOBS WENT

OVERSEAS. THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS

CLOSED AND CONSOLIDATED.

AND IT'S TRUE THAT THE NEW

MANUFACTURING WON'T BRING THAT

BACK. THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES

WORKING MULTIPLE SHIPS. BUT

DON'T FORGET THOSE JOBS WERE

TOUGH AND DANGEROUS. MODERN

MANUFACTURING IS CLEANER,

SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT AND

HIGHER PAYING. YES, THERE WILL

NOT BE AS MANY JOBS, BUT THEY

WILL BE BETTER JOBS. AND WE

NEED QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO FILL

THEM. IF WE WANT TO KEEP I FEEL

LIKE.

>> WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO WANT

THAT HUMAN COMPONENT. I DON'T

THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO

THE POINT PERSONALLY WEAR AS

YOU SAID, ALL OF OUR GROCERY

STORES ARE ESSENTIALLY A GIANT

VENDING MACHINE THAT I THINK WE

ALL LEARNED DURING THE

PANDEMIC, WE STILL NEED TO HAVE

SOME TYPE OF HUMAN INTERACTION.

AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR

THAT RIGHT BALANCE. AND WE WILL

SEE.

>> AS TIME GOES BY WITH THAT

BALANCE S. IF YOU HAVE

SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT

TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION, LET US

KNOW. EMAIL ME YOUR COMMENTS,

YOUR QUESTIONS OR CRITICISMS TO

ON THE RECORD AT WRAL DOT COM.

YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL ME DIRECTLY

AT DAN AT WRAL DOT COM. TELL

ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND.

WE WILL GO IN-DEPTH ON WRAL

NEWS AT 7 O'CLOCK. IN THE

MEANTIME, I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH

A VIDEO. ALL OF A GROCERY STORE

IN LONDON. THAT'S FULLY

AUTOMATED. LIKE A GIANT VENDING

MACHINE. FOR WATCHING ON THE