Tulane University’s A. B. Freeman School of Business has launched the Freeman Futurist Series, a quarterly event exploring how AI, robotics and quantum computing are reshaping work and industry. The inaugural session on 16 October examined why 95% of companies report no measurable return on AI investments, how robots could help address an expected shortfall of up to 85 million blue-collar jobs, and what current 1,000+ qubit quantum systems may mean for fields such as finance and drug discovery. Speakers also highlighted a five to ten-year horizon in which AI skills, automation and quantum-enabled analytics are expected to play a growing role in business strategy.