The Fox News Rundown Extra: Mike Rowe on AI & The Future Of Work
Apr 4, 2026
Mike Rowe, founder of mikeroweWORKS and former Dirty Jobs host, is a longtime advocate for skilled trades. He talks about the rising respect for plumbers, welders, and technicians. He explores vocational education, new corporate training pipelines, and the Jumpstart Savings Act. He also shares concerns and observations about AI and what it might mean for the future workforce.
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Skills Gap Looming Ahead Of Major Infrastructure Build
- The skilled trades are entering the spotlight due to a widening skills gap and massive upcoming infrastructure work.
- Mike Rowe notes a $10 trillion build-out to 2033 and warns we lack the workforce to complete it as five retire and two replace them each year.
I Make America Bus Touring To Promote Manufacturing
- The I Make America bus is a mobile recruiting and education tool promoting manufacturing careers.
- Mike Rowe describes his face on the bus, interactive displays, and stops at factories and schools across 26 states.
Trades Have Become High Tech Not Manual Labor
- Vocational work today requires high-tech skills and the old stereotypes are outdated.
- Rowe argues modern mechanics and manufacturing involve software, rocketry-level precision, and rapidly evolving definitions of roles.