148. Arts Internships in the Age of AI

Follow the Data Podcast

Young people entering the workforce today are facing a brand-new challenge: Can I find a job that AI can’t touch? And just as important, what skills will make me irreplaceable?

Enter: the arts and cultural sector — and specifically, the Bloomberg Arts Internship program, also known as BAI. Launched in 2012, this program connects high school and college students with paid summer internships at arts organizations in seven U.S. cities.

Since its start thanks to an idea from Bloomberg Philanthropies Board Member Walter Isaacson, BAI has supported more than 2,250 internships at over 250 cultural institutions, giving students real-world experience while building skills every career needs — communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and civic engagement.

On this episode of Follow the Data, Katherine Oliver sits down with from Kate D. Levin, who oversees Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts program, on how the Bloomberg Arts Internship has evolved, the impact it’s having on participants, and why these opportunities matter to young people in a rapidly changing professional landscape.