SMU hosts data center summit as AI reshapes jobs and skills needed to succeed

Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, recently hosted the Data Centers Innovation and Next-Gen Workforce Summit on April 16, drawing over 200 attendees, including more than 30 C-suite executives. The summit, organized by the Lyle School of Engineering and Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity, focused on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the data center industry and the implications for the future workforce. Key discussions centered on the idea that AI will not eliminate jobs but rather reshape them, requiring employees to be proficient in using AI tools. Ben Alingh, co-founder of Monarch Energy and an SMU alumnus, stated that companies are eager to hire young professionals who can immediately leverage AI. Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned Data Centers, advised students to explore various AI platforms like Copilot and ChatGPT to become broadly AI-proficient, emphasizing the importance of asking complex questions. The event also underscored Dallas's growing significance in the data center sector. With over 200 data centers in North Texas, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reporting $10.8 billion in data center construction across Texas for 2025, the region faces a high demand for new talent. SMU President Jay Hartzell noted that hosting such events helps the university prepare students for the influx of job opportunities and leadership roles in the innovative and expanding data center industry, aiming to solidify Dallas's position as a national data center hub.