Clark did not take it. He raised his hand.
When his turn came, he first gave his name and said he was reporting for the Daily Planet, then opened his notes.
"Mr. Wayne, if this technology succeeds, who will lose their jobs first?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Several energy company representatives who had been calculating with their heads down finally looked up.
"Miners, refinery workers, people who maintain conventional power generation equipment." Clark looked toward the stage. "They might be able to afford cheaper electricity, but lose the wages that pay their rent."
Bruce did not answer immediately.
Clark continued.
"If they can only buy the core materials from Wayne Enterprises, will losing their old jobs also leave them dependent on a supplier they have no choice over?"
Yang Ming set down his water bottle.
This big guy was just asking how much people could save on electricity.
Now he was asking who would pay the rent.
Lucius opened a file, but Bruce raised a hand to stop him.
"Some people will lose their existing positions."
His voice came clearly through the microphone.
"I cannot promise that every old job will be preserved, nor can I present retraining as a cure-all for unemployment."
Clark's pen paused over the paper.
"Then what responsibilities are you prepared to take on?"
"The first pilot projects will prioritize existing power facilities. Maintenance, transmission, distribution, and dispatch positions will not be eliminated simply because the core is replaced. Any facility facing closure must announce a transition plan in advance."
"Who will oversee that?"
"Local governments, employee representatives, and independent auditors."
"Where will the compensation money come from?"
Bruce looked at Lucius.
This time, Lucius did not open his file.
"It will be included in the project costs, not deducted from employees' wages."