Artificial Intelligence

With several projects in the works, a big question is who will foot the bill for their power needs. Watchdog groups are eyeing the proceedings, but utility company reps have said they intend to protect consumers.

The new Dear Future campaign from the Pennsylvania-based software company Frontline Education is the latest of many efforts to bring district leaders into the development and vetting of AI tools for K-12.

Labor contracts spell out the expectations and working conditions of unionized teachers. As AI tools upend instruction, data management, surveillance and other aspects of the workplace, those contracts need updates.

The AI program uses data from smartphones of people in a specific area, including where they were before they entered the area, how long they spent there and other personal info.

AI teaching assistants reveal both the creative possibilities and hidden dangers of utilizing generative AI tools in the classroom, causing educators to weigh efficiency against risks of bias, inequity and overreliance.

From cloud migration and modernizing legacy systems to expanding broadband and piloting AI tools, the state is taking a practical approach to technology strategy. The CIO’s highest priority is moving off mainframe.

In a new pilot, officials will use a city vehicle with two cameras and software with AI to photograph properties. Inspectors will follow up on addresses with visible problems like graffiti or tall grass.

A new resource from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration offers states guidance on how to use federal funding to support AI literacy training in the workforce.

The Silicon Valley city has selected four startup companies — building AI-driven solutions ranging from maternal health to food waste reduction — from more than 170 applicants to receive grants and professional support.

Amid so much promotion, news coverage and forecasting about artificial intelligence, the university CIO must distinguish between practical, impactful applications and those driven by hype or outweighed by risk.

Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College will create workforce-aligned AI education pathways with input from IBM and Northrop Grumman on which competencies are most needed by employers.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's new release cautions public-sector agencies against acquiring AI-powered tools without giving them an adequate level of vetting and governance.

The state’s revamped regulations on artificial intelligence have been pulled from a proposal by the state Senate. If it passes, the measure would now just delay for several months a law set to take effect in February.

Local governments are investing in digital equity, which can serve as the foundation to advance the implementation of other emerging technologies including AI. Good data is the foundation for both.

A recent poll found a 13 percent drop in support for using AI to prepare lesson plans, a 9 percent drop in support for AI as practice for standardized tests, and a 5 percent drop in support for students using it on homework.

Montana has joined a series of states, with its decision to dedicate an executive position to leading on artificial intelligence strategy and advancing the ethical implementation of the technology.

The inaugural NextTech Kern conference at Cal State Bakersfield in October, intended to be a community event, will explore how artificial intelligence is set to affect education, businesses and digital safety.

Some new terms are becoming popular in tech and cybersecurity careers, along with some unsettling workplace trends around burnout and fear of layoffs as AI gains ground in both the public and private sectors.