Report says Minnesota workers face highest generative AI exposure in the Midwest

Image by Hannah ReynoldsThe North Star Policy Action report on the impacts of generative AI was published late February. Report says Minnesota workers face highest generative AI exposure in the Midwest Lawmakers, University of Minnesota leadership and students are preparing for the future of work as generative AI continues to shape the job market. by Maja HolmenPublished April 5, 2026A report from North Star Policy Action says Minnesota workers have the highest generative AI exposure in the Midwest and the 10th-highest in the nation. The report defines AI exposure as when half or more of a worker’s tasks could be partially or wholly accomplished by generative AI. According to calculations in the report, 17% of the state’s workforce, or roughly 500,000 workers, were at high risk of having their jobs altered or replaced by AI. Rep. David Gottfried (DFL-Roseville) is one of the lawmakers who put regulating AI at the head of his priorities. In the 2026 legislative session, he sponsored several AI-related bills, including how artificial intelligence pertains to electronic monitoring and job displacement.“While we have not yet seen large-scale layoffs or disruptions to the workforce because of artificial intelligence, I think pretty much every expert expects that it’s those sorts of disruptions are a matter of when, not if,” Gottfried said. With the impact of AI on the job market being unpredictable, Gottfried said it is necessary to get ahead of the curve by creating AI deploym...