Michigan

Ford Motor Co. says it’s on track to open a massive electric vehicle battery plant in southwest Michigan despite facing political pressure, local pushback and a federal bill that could cut its tax incentives.

Days after the university ended its relationship with private security firms, an open letter signed by 800 students, faculty, staff and alumni criticized the timing and placement of cameras in the Diag and Law Quad.

More than 66,000 students at the university's Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses will get access to courses in foundational AI skills and certificates in fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics and digital marketing.

Users can go to Midland County’s new app to access information online rather than calling the jail to see if someone is there or to learn what their bond is, among other functions.

A bill that would bar digital applications created in Russia and China from being accessed on state government-owned devices has cleared the House of Representatives. It now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

Two statewide proposals, one in the House and one in the Senate, offer competing ideas for how to limit phone use in K-12. One would leave it to school boards to decide specifics, and the other stipulates more specifics.

The university's pilot program, which will use virtual teaching assistants to explain course concepts to students and guide them through problems, will contribute to a study on virtual TAs working across 26 campuses.

Teachers of Tomorrow, a national alternative teacher certification program, recognized a New Haven Elementary School teacher for creating her own STEM curriculum for developmental kindergarten through fifth grade.

States are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into their employment platforms to help connect job seekers to opportunities. The impacts on their workforce, officials have said, are tangible.

Based in Michigan, the data-sharing operation has about 250 agencies, with 2,000 members anticipated by 2030. One of the technology leaders behind this push details what’s coming next, and why.

A partnership between the university and the tech giant will establish Apple Manufacturing Academy in downtown Detroit, with in-person and online training in smart manufacturing for small and medium-sized businesses.

In partnership with the education nonprofit Michigan Virtual, a new ed-tech accelerator at Michigan State University will help fund, educate and provide resources to technology startups focused on K-12 education.

Starting May 1, a new virtual parking system will use license plate recognition technology in place of physical parking permits, although it will require vehicle owners to display a front plate if they back into a spot.

Since 2019, the Traverse City Police Department has spent $28,000 to purchase tech tools to help officers identify unknown substances and intoxication levels, including one TruNarc device.

A service provider is seeking to expand high-speed Internet to underserved areas in at least a half-dozen counties. If its applications are approved, the expansion would focus on rural areas.

A plan to expand high-speed fiber-optic Internet service to rural portions of six nearby counties was unanimously endorsed by the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners Wednesday.

In part due to concerns about cheating, Michigan teachers have been slow to implement AI, according to the June 2024 survey by Michigan Virtual that found less than 30 percent of 1,000 teachers use AI in the classroom.

This comes at a time when getting a vet appointment can be a lengthy process due to a shortage of veterinary services nationwide, the retirement of older veterinarians, high turnover and increased demand.