Community Connect

More than 250 members of Indiana’s tech community gathered at Community Connect to explore how AI is changing work, the skills employers need and how emerging talent can strengthen Indiana’s innovation economy.

Excerpt Community Connect, presented by Google, returns with a sold-out audience of employers, educators and community leaders exploring how AI is reshaping Indiana's workforce, talent pipeline and innovation economy.

From AI adoption to emerging talent, Community Connect will explore five questions shaping the future of work for Indiana employers, educators and community leaders.

This Community Connect event, presented by Google, brings together Indiana employers, educators and emerging talent to explore AI adoption, workforce readiness and the skills that will matter most in the years ahead.

AI adoption rarely stalls because the tools aren’t powerful enough—it stalls because foundations like data, process clarity, and governance aren’t ready. This recap outlines a practical way to build readiness and business impact by designing early-career roles around the foundational work AI depends on.

Chelsea Linder outlined four imperatives for responsible AI adoption in 2026—data readiness, workforce readiness, disciplined buy/partner/integrate innovation, and infrastructure + sustainability—so organizations can move from pilots to real business value.