Students enrolled at Wisconsin's technical colleges this fall might take a course where artificial intelligence is the star of the classroom.
Officials say it could help produce a more robust pipeline of workers in the Badger State.
Layla Merrifield, president of the Wisconsin Technical Colleges System, said manufacturers are making it clear they want a workforce with the know-how in programming and operating machinery fitted with AI, which is why the system is integrating it with coursework at regional campuses.
"Here in Wisconsin, we have a structural workforce shortage and our demographics are telling us that will continue," Merrifield pointed out. "What we're seeing, it's really upscaling the workforce."
Elected officials face pressure to adopt regulations to ensure artificial intelligence is used safely. Merrifield noted schools in Wisconsin prioritize teaching students how to use AI ethically and appropriately. An analysis from the Center for Security and Emerging Technology said community and technical colleges have the potential to grow and sustain the AI talent pool but barriers like inconsistent government funding need to be addressed.
Merrifield acknowledged Wisconsin's campuses are coming off modest general aid increases from the Legislature and will request more in the next budget cycle, noting the programs technical schools offer can be costly to maintain. They also have to balance tuition affordability.
"We understand that our students often come from limited means. They have limited financial resources," Merrifield stressed. "We try to keep tuition as low as possible."
Whether it's AI curriculum or other courses, Merrifield suggested they need the right amount of support to stay nimble and retool programming based on workforce trends. Waukesha County Technical College is one of the schools offering a class where students learn about the foundations of AI.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.