LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Microsoft leaders to announce today Louisville will become a Microsoft regional hub for artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and data science.
“Artificial intelligence is the next frontier in technology, and through this collaboration with Microsoft, we will prepare our workforce for the tech revolution and create economic opportunity, while not losing sight of the need for equity within economic growth,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “We are excited to partner with Microsoft to ensure Louisville residents and businesses are ready for the future economy.”
Louisville will serve as an urban laboratory, and city government will work with education, workforce and business partners to strengthen and diversify the city’s core industries, including health care and manufacturing, which face risk of automation from the progression of AI technology. The AI Innovation Digital Alliance with Microsoft, in part, will help companies in vulnerable industries reskill and upskill their workforce to meet the changing demands of the 21st century economy.
Through the alliance, Microsoft will create and fund an AI, IoT and data science fellowship program, including providing training and equipment. The fellows will work with nonprofit, education, start-up, and workforce development organizations, and with area businesses to provide training and support aligned with initiatives focused on AI, IoT and data science.
Additional activities that are part of the AI Innovation Digital Alliance include:
• Microsoft will establish a physical location downtown.
• Microsoft will partner with pre-school through higher education providers on digital literacy training and, with Louisville Metro, will support the Digital Inclusion initiative to close the digital skills gap present in underinvested and disenfranchised communities.
• Louisville Metro, Microsoft, and the Brookings Institution will collaborate on a comprehensive local strategy focused on the impacts of AI, IoT and data science technologies on communities and develop a playbook for how to prepare other communities for the changing economic landscape.
• Microsoft will support AI-assisted applied research to seek solutions to community challenges such as racial disparities in environmental effects on human health and the cultural measures of trust, hope and belonging that impact employee health and talent retention.
• Microsoft will support the local entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem through grants and other resources.
• Louisville Metro will host a high-level AI, IoT and data science summit in fiscal year 2020 and at least six other events supported by Microsoft.
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