Maryland

As data centers drive a surge in power demand, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers in Maryland are pressing the operator of the region’s null to ensure residents aren’t left footing the bill.

The state has opened grants to cover electric school buses and charging infrastructure through mid-December, with preferences for districts in low- to moderate-income communities.

Maryland’s General Assembly is set to consider bills concerning the misuse of AI in various industries, its application in schools, the potential invasion of consumer privacy and the spread of misinformation.

Grants through the Maryland Department of Labor will support programs at colleges, nonprofits and other training providers to prepare workers for both technical and non-technical jobs in cybersecurity.

The Cyber Maryland investment aims to support organizations that invest in workforce development via the Cyber and AI Clinic, which will train residents for careers in this field and offer security services.

Plus, Maryland has brought Internet access to Smith Island; Hawaii has launched a Digital Navigator Program; students in El Paso, Texas, will receive digital and AI skills instruction, and more.

The Innovative, Immersive Training Program in Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing is intended to prepare juniors at Hood College for careers in the biotechnology workforce, according to a press release.

The Social Security Administration will stop issuing paper checks to beneficiaries on Sept. 30, which concerns former Social Security Administration commissioner Martin O’Malley.

The state has bolstered its effort to attract quantum researchers and companies by opening a Microsoft-backed research center with the University of Maryland. Backers of the tech said it could be more disruptive than AI.

Veteran technologist Alison Deigan, who spent two decades in federal service and oversaw a $150 million technology portfolio, has been appointed the county’s new IT director. The role, she said, has personal significance.

Hitachi’s new $100 million railcar factory in Western Maryland is using AI-powered robotic dogs, 3D vision inspections and other digital tools to make what it calls trains of the future.

The mission of the Maryland Data Centers Analysis Group, as described by an organizer, is to “elevate verifiable data” about the critical digital infrastructure industry and its potential implications for the state.

Drones, including those used by consumers, businesses and the military, accounted for a $73 billion global industry last year, some estimates show, with the market likely to more than double by 2030.

In a split vote on Tuesday, the Frederick County Council voted to approve a bill that will create a special zoning mechanism for data centers and the electric substations that power them.

A human-sized patrol robot named Parker, meant to record and deter crime in Montgomery County parking garages, was sidelined late last month over privacy and transparency concerns.

The state Department of Information Technology’s new 86-page road map details how officials intend to transform service delivery, boost security and modernize infrastructure. IT literacy will be key.

Dubbed the Patrol Drone Program and unveiled Monday, a new initiative builds upon the police department’s previous use of drones in crash investigations over the past decade.

The Maryland Energy Administration will pay for 53 electric buses and 40 charging stations, aiming for cost savings, cleaner air and workforce development for a more sustainable student transportation system.