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Articles by John Rakolta Jr
Michigan risks losing out on the AI boom | John Rakolta Jr.
John Rakolta Jr. May 28, 2026, 5:31 p.m. ET Subscribe to hear this story A century from now, will anyone still be here to ask why Michigan let the artificial intelligence economy pass it by the way it let the auto industry slip away? We console ourselves that while factories closed, engineering centers remain. That comfort rests on shifting ground. Advanced robotics, rapid prototyping and real-time software have blurred the line between blue-collar muscle and white-collar engineering.
Rakolta: Michigan is watching the future walk by
John Rakolta Jr. Feb. 25, 2026, 7:30 p.m. ET Subscribe to hear this story On a recent evening at American Coney Island — a Detroit institution serving chili dogs for more than a century — something unusual navigated the checkered floor. A Keenon service robot delivered food between tables. No tip required. No sick days. No benefits. I saw this same scene three years ago in Taiwan at one of Taipei's most popular restaurants.
The Impact of the November Election on the Auto Industry: Navigating a Revolutionary Transition
Editor's Note: This article is part of Area Development's Auto/Aero Special Coverage for Q3 2024. It was commissioned and edited by editor Dennis Cuneo who served as guest editor for the special coverage. The automotive industry is experiencing its most profound transformation since Henry Ford introduced the assembly line, and this has implications for state and local economic developers. The rapid shift from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV) is a global phenomenon.
A Clarion Call: Reversing Our Decline Requires Action, Shared Civic Responsibility
Michigan has been a bellwether of American industry, innovation, and opportunity. Yet, for the last 70 years we’ve been grappling with stagnant population growth, falling outcomes in pre-K-12 education, and a decline in per capita income from 120% to 80% of the national average. These aren’t just statistics. They reflect tragic human stories and should be seen as a clarion call for action.
Commentary: As mobility economy is created, mobilize Michigan now
For our state's once-mighty automotive-based economy to match its historic prosperity in the growing mobility economy of the future, we need leadership from business, labor, and government
The US stands with the UAE, its partner and friend
Beyond traditional diplomacy, the US and the UAE have made advances in regional policy, defence and security, commerce, culture and education US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota, July 3, 2020.
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