Aerospace, manufacturing, and robotics give state an edge in capturing wealth

AUBURN, Ala., April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alabama could emerge as one of the wealthiest regions on Earth as artificial intelligence, robotics, and the space economy reorder the global landscape, according to a new opinion column by Auburn University economics professor and Pragmatic Economics senior fellow Dr. Alan Seals, along with Pragmatic Economics president Greg Gilbert.

“Geography will matter again,” said Seals. “Regions that combine advanced manufacturing, robotics, aerospace capability, and energy abundance could capture an extraordinary share of the wealth created by the AI era. Alabama checks every box.”

Three Economic Markers Signal Transformation

Three indicators signal industry transformation: falling costs, rising private investment, and converging technologies. All three are evident in space. Launch costs have dropped from roughly $65,000 per kilogram in the Space Shuttle era to under $3,000 today, and the World Economic Forum projects the global space economy will reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

Alabama’s Strategic Advantages

• Marshall Space Flight Center manages $4 billion in annual operations.
• Blue Origin builds rocket engines in the state, and United Launch Alliance operates the world’s largest rocket factory in Decatur.
• Aerospace firms employ 45,000 Alabamians.
• Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama belongs to Hyundai Motor Group, which owns 80 percent of Boston Dynamics, the robotics leader whose robots NASA is testing for lunar exploration.
• The Robotics Technology Park trains workers whose skills transfer from automotive to space.

“The same control systems used in auto assembly apply to satellite repair, and the vision systems guiding warehouse robots can navigate Martian terrain,” Gilbert said. “Each aerospace job already supports about 2.5 others through spillover effects.”

Education and Leadership as Deciding Factors

The authors urge Alabama leaders to invest in education across science, engineering, liberal arts, and skilled trades to build the needed workforce.

“Artificial intelligence will drive the price of specialized knowledge toward the cost of electricity,” Seals said. “The technology is useless without skilled people who can ask creative questions and exercise good judgment.”

They conclude: Alabama can host the space economy, or it can own it.

About Pragmatic Economics

Pragmatic Economics is a consulting firm focused on industry, infrastructure, and regional development. Visit www.pragmaticeconomics.com or follow on LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Greg Gilbert, President of Pragmatic Economics, [email protected]

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SOURCE Pragmatic Economics