News of the Day July 26, 2024
Governor’s AI Task Force Issues Action Plan

The Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence has issued its final action plan, covering a wide array of policy proposals across education, government, workforce and economic development.

Within the education section of the report, the task force is recommending: new investments in AI research at the Universities of Wisconsin; integrating AI into curriculum development; supporting faculty recruitment and retention in AI fields at UW schools and in the Wisconsin Technical College System; offering new “stackable” credentials in AI that build on prior learning, and more.

The task force recommends efforts to modernize state government infrastructure with AI, as well as considering its deployment for energy management, traffic control and wastewater treatment. It also suggests the creation of a unit within the Department of Administration to create an “enterprise-wide data governance framework” to ensure proper use of data, particularly in AI applications.

On the workforce development side, recommendations include: expanding apprenticeship programs to incorporate AI; providing training to workers displaced by AI adoption; funding employer-led AI training programs for their workers; creating an AI “layoff aversion program” and an AI workforce talent pipeline; launching a digital literacy campaign and more.

Economic development policy proposals in the report include offering help to small businesses looking to use AI, creating “AI Innovation Hubs” for startups using the technology in manufacturing and agriculture, and holding forums to lay out an “AI roadmap” for companies in the state.