The conversation around artificial intelligence in the workplace has shifted. We humans have gone far past the point of considering if it should be included. Why? Because it already has. For any digital marketing services agency, the question now is who will be responsible for keeping it pointed in the right direction.
This week, that question got a very public answer.
Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb launched RAISE US, a nonpartisan nonprofit. Its mission is to help the modern American worker adapt to the growing AI economy.
With over $500 million in backing and partnerships from Amazon, Microsoft, Anthropic, and OpenAI, RAISE wants to make sure that AI growth does not leave humanity behind. As Raimondo put it plainly: “America has a technology strategy. It does not have a people strategy.”
That gap is exactly what RAISE US is trying to close. While technology has far surpassed our wildest dreams, it has also left many of us confused and unequipped. With small and medium-sized businesses competing in 2026, the pressure to stay digitally connected is on.
At A+ Virtual Pro Solutions, we believe that technological prowess and human expertise meet in the middle. Our remote support specialists, virtual assistants, and operations professionals do not compete with AI. Instead, they use it as a tool to meet our clients’ demands. And if the tools don’t work, then we step in to finish the job.
Read on to learn more about how we see the current landscape and why trained human expertise still makes all the difference.
What the AI Economy Actually Looks Like Right Now
You might’ve caught onto the words “AI economy” earlier. What is that exactly?
Simply put, our economy has now embedded AI into multiple facets of life. It’s no longer a novelty. The stuff you see in movies, like automated assistants and analysis reporters, is part of the norm. And not only is this commonplace, but it’s advocated by business leaders worldwide.
For example, a recent BCG survey of 300 chief marketing officers found that 96% say AI is driving meaningful transformation in their departments. This perspective may explain why experience with AI programs is such a premium skill nowadays. That said, only about a third of these officers have actually restructured their workflows to match that ambition.
That gap between intention and execution is telling. Most businesses know AI matters, but only a few have figured out how to use it in ways that actually produce results. The scary part is that even fewer have trained personnel to make this system work.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 projects that by 2030, roughly 170 million new jobs will be created while 92 million will be displaced. Over a third of these existing skills — 39% to be exact — will significantly change or become obsolete. In other words, the jobs that remain and grow will require people who can work alongside AI.
This is the environment in which RAISE US operates, and it reflects a broader conversation across industries. AI is only as effective as the people managing it.
AI as a Tool, Not a Substitute
A common misconception is that AI will eventually replace the need for skilled support staff, virtual assistants, or marketing professionals. While this might seem likely, the research suggests otherwise.
According to the World Economic Forum, there are two roles emerging specifically because of AI growth: the “AI work architect” and the “AI steward”. The architect defines how AI should be used, what problems it is solving, and where its limits lie. On the other hand, the steward reviews the outputs with real-world context and decides what to do next.
Notice a common theme? Neither of these roles can be automated. They both require human judgment to work effectively.
Let’s give a quick example of how this works in the real world. You can have AI draft a marketing email. Depending on the tool, you’ll get a decent output that reads cleanly. However, AI cannot determine what your audience is like. It cannot predict your readers’ age range or your brand’s tone.
Now, look at businesses that work with a digital marketing services agency or a remote support team. These groups handle the AI output to make it as effective as possible. They’re the ones who dictate to the program how an email should sound. They instruct the tool on their audience, brand voice, emphasized services, and calls to action.
This distinction matters. AI tools accelerate execution, but people provide the context, oversight, and accountability. Like a hammer or a paintbrush, AI needs an expert at the helm.
Where AI Is Making an Impact Right Now
To understand the opportunities and risks with AI, let’s consider where businesses have changed.
In marketing and content
AI tools are being used to generate first drafts and produce ad copy at scale. Outputs that took days of feedback and examination can now be made in hours.
A BCG analysis of marketing teams using AI found cost-efficiency improvements of 20-30%. In addition, marketing ROI has increased threefold while campaign cycles have improved tenfold.
However, 86% of marketers still review AI-generated content before it goes live — a number that reflects how much human judgment remains in the loop.
Personalization powered by AI is now table stakes. Businesses that do not tailor their messaging to individual behavior are falling behind those that do.
In operations and productivity
AI is increasingly handling appointment scheduling, inbox management, meeting prep, and CRM data entry — tasks that once occupied hours of an assistant’s day.
This does not eliminate the need for executive assistants or operations managers. It changes what they do. Freed from repetitive data tasks, these professionals focus on relationship management, prioritization, and judgment calls that automated systems cannot make.
PwC research notes that about a fifth of the value from AI comes from the tech itself. The rest? It all comes from redesigning workflows, a task that requires experienced human professionals who understand the business.
What the Workforce Needs to Keep Up
So, where does RAISE US fit into the conversation?
Firstly, the organization is not just about retraining factory workers or tech laborers. It is about closing a skills gap that affects everyone, such as office managers and customer support specialists.
The ability to work effectively with AI tools is becoming a must-have ability in today’s marketplace. Job applicants need to know how to prompt chatbots correctly, evaluate their outputs, and integrate them into real business workflows.
That is precisely the kind of professional A+ Virtual Pro Solutions recruits, trains, and places with our clients. Our virtual assistants and backend support specialists are not passive users of AI tools. They understand how to leverage them for scheduling, research, content support, and customer outreach. At the same time, they bring the communication skills, professional judgment, and contextual awareness that no automotive program can duplicate.
Working with a capable custom digital marketing services team means you get both sides of the equation. You get the speed and efficiency that AI provides, along with the human intelligence that makes it work in practice.
What This Means for Small and Medium Businesses
For small businesses in Ocean County and across the country, here’s what AI can do for you and what it cannot:
What AI can do for your business right now
- Automate repetitive communication tasks like appointment reminders, follow-up emails, and lead tracking updates.
- Generate content drafts and social media copy that your team can edit and post.
- Analyze campaign performance data faster than any manual review process.
- Handle scheduling, document management, and basic CRM hygiene that would otherwise take hours each week.
What AI still cannot do without a trained person behind it
- Understand your brand voice, your client relationships, or your competitive context.
- Make judgment calls when a situation falls outside the expected parameters.
- Build rapport with prospects during cold calls, appointment setting, or outreach campaigns.
- Manage vendor relationships, escalate issues appropriately, or serve as an accountable point of contact for your clients.
- Catch errors, inconsistencies, or brand missteps before they reach your audience.
The businesses that grow fast are not those chasing every new AI tool. They are the ones that combine smart automation with trained professionals who know how to direct it.
The Human Advantage in a Digital-First World
A recent analysis of how digital marketing agencies are using AI in 2026 put it well: AI works best as a force multiplier for human expertise. In other words, we should use it as a boost to our existing productivity, not a substitute.
That framing matters for any business evaluating how to build out its operational support. Don’t go chasing automation tools to meet your expectations. Consider investing in a top digital marketing agency in the USA that understands the balance between AI productivity and human perspective.
The RAISE US initiative is betting $500 million on the idea that people are still central to how AI creates value. For business owners and team leaders managing growth in 2026, that bet is worth taking seriously.
Whether you need appointment setters who can leverage outreach tools or a full remote operations team that keeps your backend running cleanly, the answer is not AI or people. It is AI guided by the right people.
Ready to Build a Smarter Support Team?
At A+ Virtual Pro Solutions, we specialize in placing trained remote professionals who know how to work in today’s AI-assisted environment. From digital marketing support to dedicated virtual assistant services, our team is built for the way business works right now.
If you are ready to stop leaving efficiency on the table and start building a team that actually moves your business forward, let’s talk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RAISE US?
RAISE US is a newly launched nonprofit backed by Amazon, Microsoft, and the OpenAI Foundation, focused on training the American workforce to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
Will AI replace virtual assistants or marketing support staff?
Based on current research, AI is changing what support professionals do rather than eliminating the need for them — repetitive tasks get automated while skilled people handle judgment, communication, and relationships.
How is AI being used in digital marketing right now?
AI handles content drafts, campaign optimization, performance reporting, and personalization at scale, with human professionals responsible for strategy, brand decisions, and quality review.
What can a virtual assistant do in an AI-assisted workflow?
A trained virtual assistant manages scheduling, email, CRM entry, research, and customer follow-up — often using AI tools to work faster while applying human judgment to keep quality consistent.
Does my small business need AI tools to stay competitive?
You do not need every new tool, but partnering with support professionals who already use AI as part of their workflow is the most practical way to benefit without a steep learning curve.
What makes A+ Virtual Pro Solutions different from freelance platforms?
We focus specifically on trained remote professionals who support digital marketing and business operations for SMBs — not general-purpose freelancers, but specialists built for growing businesses.
Do I need a virtual assistant or a full digital marketing team?
If your gap is administrative, a virtual assistant is usually the right fit. If you need ongoing content, campaigns, or a marketing strategy, a dedicated digital marketing team is the better call.