America is racing toward an automated future without a clear map of who can actually participate in it. States compete for data centers, advanced manufacturing, logistics hubs, and artificial intelligence investment. Employers are adding software to routine jobs. Government services, job applications, health records, banking, school portals, and benefits systems keep moving online. Yet the country still lacks a standard way to measure digital illiteracy by state.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many areas of life, including how we understand and address mental health and literacy challenges. These three topics—AI, mental health, and literacy—may seem unrelated at first glance, but they intersect in important ways that affect individuals and communities.