Tennessee Boat Maker Hires 50 for 'AI-Proof' Jobs

While many workers worry about losing their jobs to artificial intelligence, one East Tennessee company is proving the future belongs to people who embrace the technology.

Protomet, a boutique boat manufacturer in Loudon County, just announced plans to hire 50 new workers for what founder Jeff Bohanan calls "AI-proof jobs." The company employs 300 people across three Tennessee counties building high-end recreational boats for an industry worth $230 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

The secret? Teaching workers to use AI as a power tool, not fearing it as a replacement.

"AI allows us to leverage our people," Bohanan explained. "We know it's not going to replace our people, but AI could replace somebody who's not using AI."

Manufacturing engineer Kellen Catani walked reporters through the facility, where human expertise remains irreplaceable. "We are boutique manufacturing, so there's a lot of nuances. It's very hands-on and AI has supplemented some of what we do. But ultimately this is a very human job."

Team member Gabriel Watson shared how he uses AI to speed up prototype delivery to customers. He created a new system that automatically calculates spacing for parts, giving operators more comfortable working conditions. But designing those new systems? That takes human creativity.

"Automation is good at repeating what you have already proven out," Bohanan said. "But when you have a lot of variables coming into the process, humans allow us to bring that across the finish line."

The Ripple Effect

Protomet's hiring spree spans all skill levels, from manufacturing associates to technicians and maintenance workers. Bohanan actively seeks people from outside manufacturing, believing fresh perspectives matter more than industry experience.

The company's philosophy centers on "perennial growth," constantly improving systems rather than building throwaway solutions. Watson embraced this mindset fully. "With the perennial mindset, you're making things to last that we can use over and over and over."

Unlike Silicon Valley, where AI disrupts entire business models, Protomet sees the technology differently. "In Silicon Valley, AI has been very disruptive, but for an East Tennessee manufacturing company, it has supplemented what we do," Catani said.

The company believes this approach could reshape workforce development across the region. "The abundance that will be created by our people leveraging AI will outpace any displacement of the workforce," Bohanan predicted.

Catani summed up Protomet's vision simply: "The future is bigger and the future is human."