Insights from The IT Table Panel – September 2025, By: Bailaou Diallo
The IT Table event, held in Baltimore, Maryland, included a career-focused panel on technology pathways and opportunities. Speakers highlighted how clearances, certifications, and industry trends are shaping entry and advancement in IT. Keynote speaker M. Abdullah Canbaz, Ph.D. then framed AI as the modern printing press, a technology that, like its historical counterpart, will fundamentally transform how knowledge is created, shared, and applied.
Following his presentation, participants engaged in a group discussion connecting historical lessons to present-day applications and strategies for preparing the workforce. The central conclusion is clear: AI represents a decisive turning point much like the invention of the printing press. Those who adopt and guide its use will shape the future, while those who resist risk falling behind. In this paper, we will explore the concepts and conclusions explored by the panelists and discussion groups, inspired by the printing press analogy proposed by Professor Canbaz.
Setting the Stage for an AI-Driven Future
AI is not just another step in the long march of technological progress; it is a decisive moment that will influence how we work, learn, and organize society. The IT Table event, held at the EMAGE Center in Baltimore, brought together recruiters, technologists, and leaders to discuss career growth, clearances, and the future of work in IT. This multi-part agenda set the stage for a deeper examination of AI, culminating in a presentation by Professor M. Abdullah Canbaz, Ph.D., who positioned artificial intelligence as the modern printing press.
His framing provided both historical perspective and forward-looking insight, underscoring that AI’s adoption is not optional but essential. The panel discussion that followed highlighted practical strategies for integrating AI into industries, workforce development, and education, reinforcing that those who prepare now will shape the future landscape.
Lessons from History: Technology Adoption and Decline
Professor Canbaz began the session with a story about Ibrahim Müteferrika, who introduced the printing press to the Ottoman court in the 18th century. Advisors, fearing the spread of uncontrolled information, persuaded the empire to restrict its use. While European societies accelerated knowledge sharing and innovation, the Ottoman Empire missed centuries of progress and entered decline.
This lesson extends beyond one empire. History repeatedly shows that resistance to innovation leads to stagnation. Schools once banned calculators, claiming they would weaken education, only to later embrace them. Businesses once hesitated to adopt the internet, until those that delayed were overtaken by more agile competitors. The lesson for today is unmistakable: organizations and individuals that resist AI risk forfeiting influence and competitiveness.
AI as Today’s Inflection Point
Like the printing press, AI democratizes access to knowledge and accelerates innovation. The difference is speed. What took decades in past revolutions is now unfolding in months. AI has already changed how people consume information, interact with technology, and solve problems.
AI should not be seen as a replacement for human decision-making. Instead, it functions as a multiplier, expanding human capacity by automating repetitive work, uncovering patterns hidden in data, and creating time for higher-level problem-solving. Properly used, AI strengthens professional judgment rather than diminishing it.
Practical Applications Across Industries
Software Engineering
AI is advancing quickly in software development. Today it assists with code generation, automated debugging, and streamlining deployment pipelines. Tomorrow it may enable autonomous development agents capable of building entire applications from prompts, adaptive programming environments that tailor themselves to user needs, and self-optimizing systems that improve continuously without human intervention.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is entering an AI-driven arms race. AI already supports advanced threat detection, automated incident response, and continuous monitoring. Soon, adversarial ‘AI warfare’ will require defenders to use AI against increasingly sophisticated attacks. The stakes are high: organizations that fail to adopt AI in cybersecurity risk being outpaced by attackers who already have.
Healthcare and Science
AI reduces the time for drug discovery from decades to months, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also enables personalized treatment strategies, supports mental health interventions, and accelerates bioinformatics research. In healthcare, AI offers not only efficiency but also expanded access to care in under-resourced regions.
Business and Creative Sectors
AI is transforming customer engagement, marketing analytics, and content development. Beyond efficiency, it supports co-creation, where professionals work with AI as partners in designing campaigns, products, or media. For business leaders, the opportunity lies not just in cutting costs but in unlocking new forms of creativity and connection.
Workforce Transformation
AI is not eliminating work; it is reshaping it. Routine, repetitive roles are the most vulnerable to being replaced, but new categories are emerging just as they did in previous industrial revolutions. These include:
• AI builders and maintainers who design and sustain systems
• AI orchestrators who ensure models align with business goals
• Governance and compliance specialists who address ethics and regulation
The challenge is not whether jobs will exist but whether workers will have the skills to adapt. Professionals who identify repetitive tasks in their own work and lead automation efforts will be positioned to thrive. Those who ignore these changes risk being replaced by peers who adapt more quickly.
What Professionals Can Do About AI
AI adoption is not solely a leadership issue. Individual professionals play a crucial role in shaping how AI enters their organizations. Here are some actions everyone should take to influence AI adoption:
- Build AI Literacy – Develop a working understanding of AI concepts, even if your role is not technical.
- Gain Hands-On Experience – Experiment with AI tools, participate in Kaggle competitions, or explore APIs.
- Identify Repetitive Tasks – Look for patterns in your daily work that could be automated.
- Strengthen Cross-Functional Skills – Learn to connect technical capabilities with business requirements.
- Prioritize Ethics – Stay informed about privacy, transparency, and fairness.
- Commit to Continuous Learning – The pace of AI innovation is rapid. Stay current through micro-credentials and online courses.
- Advocate for Adoption – Speak openly about AI in your workplace, share lessons, and champion pilot projects.
Ethics, Culture, and Governance
The panel also emphasized that AI’s impact will reach beyond the workplace. AI will shape how people learn, practice their faith, and engage with culture. As AI becomes embedded in education and family life, communities must ensure that values, ethics, and traditions are not lost in the process.
Governance will play a decisive role. Governments, businesses, and institutions must develop frameworks that encourage innovation while protecting society from misuse. Professionals who understand both technology and ethics will be uniquely positioned to lead this conversation.
Conclusion
The IT Table panel underscored a critical message: AI is today’s printing press. It will shape industries, redefine careers, and challenge societies to balance innovation with responsibility.
Professionals cannot remain bystanders. They must build literacy, engage with tools, and position themselves as leaders in adoption. The lesson from history is clear. Just as the Ottoman Empire’s hesitation with the printing press led to decline, today’s hesitation with AI risks leaving entire industries behind.
The choice is not whether AI will transform our world but who will lead that transformation. Those who adopt, adapt, and advocate will define the future.
AI’s transformation is already underway—and those who adapt early will define what comes next. Discover how Acuity empowers organizations to lead with AI/ML innovation by connecting with our experts today.