Hawaii business and government leaders are gathering to plan how the state's workforce adapts to AI, a cautious positive for local workers and young people looking for reasons to stay.

• The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and the state Workforce Development Council are hosting the Future of Work conference for a fourth year, bringing together businesses, educators, labor, and government.
• AI is changing which skills employers need and how people prepare for careers, and many Hawaii businesses are still working out how to use it.
• Young people keep leaving Hawaii for better pay and jobs on the mainland, and Hawaii ranks last in the country for ease of doing business.
• Leaders are pushing a long-term "generational commitment" so that every kid in kindergarten today has a path to a living-wage job by the time they enter the workforce around 2045.
• Workforce development is a key part of the Chamber's 2030 economic blueprint aimed at making Hawaii more competitive.

Outlook: The conference is set for late September, but the real test is whether the plans translate into better-paying jobs that keep young workers from leaving.