Education leaders weigh in on AI at Future of Florida Forum

Florida education leaders are reacting to artificial intelligence with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, awaiting how the government will regulate it.

Several leading officials running the state’s education system were asked about their thoughts on AI during the Future of Florida Forum, which is the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting.

“I think it’s a little early to predict exactly what the effects are going to be, primarily because we have not seen the U.S. Congress or our Florida Legislature weigh in with what their guardrails are going to be,” said Raymond Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “That hasn’t been put up yet for AI, but we know it’s coming. I think after that’s done, we’ll have a better sense of what the real impact’s going to be.”

Rodrigues compared 2025 and AI to the 1990s and the World Wide Web.

“Everyone knew this new tool of technology was coming. Everyone knew it would be transformative, but no one was quite sure how it would be rolled out,” Rodrigues said.

Florida Department of Education Senior Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell said AI is “being applied to every single industry across all of our occupations.”

“I don’t think the question’s going to be about fearing it. I think we need to understand it and how to put parameters around it,” he said. “But the reality is, Florida is well-positioned to handle this. We have the collaborative nature. We have the integrative technology. We have the desire to push forward and to position ourselves in a way that we’re going to maximize artificial intelligence to advance our economic interest as well as our occupational growth across all sectors.”

Adrienne Johnston, CEO of CareerSource Florida, admitted her new headshot was created with AI.

Florida “can really think about what we are teaching in schools and preparing students for that because they’re going to be the ones who drive how it’s adopted by businesses,” she said. “And at the same time as businesses are starting to adopt (AI), we have resources available thinking about that incumbent worker who maybe is afraid and wants to upskill so that they are not replaced by that technology. … That’s really where we’re thinking right in this moment is helping businesses train their current staff to adopt that technology so that they can maintain the talent that they have and transition them to the future needs.”

The two-day meeting in Orlando is bringing together state officials, local leaders and business leaders. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Jared Perdue, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Florida Chamber CEO Mark Wilson also spoke at the event in Orlando.

Education played a significant role on Day 1 as speakers warned how some Floridians are exiting the labor market because they struggle to find affordable childcare. 

Some businesses are offering solutions, like companies — like Universal, Orlando Health and Florida Power and Light — offering on-site childcare.

Others highlighted Florida’s higher education system, which stands out for its affordability and high rankings.