Page 47 - BusinessWest August 4, 2025

is, especially in an ever-changing world. This pilot helps turn
possibility into practice,” Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler
said. “By investing in our educators and grounding their work
in ethical, real-world AI applications, we’re making sure our
students are not just consumers of technology, but future lead-
ers in it.”
Interim Secretary of Economic Development Ashley Stolba
added that “Massachusetts is uniquely positioned to lead in
the responsible and innovative use of artificial intelligence.
This pilot reflects our forward-looking approach, aligned with
the vision of the Massachusetts AI Hub. By investing in educa-
tors today, we ensure our students are prepared to shape the
innovations of tomorrow. Supporting this kind of early, hands-
on learning helps build the talent pipeline that will drive our
future economy.”
Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder
related how, as a young student interested in computer sci-
ence, having passionate and experienced teachers as mentors
was transformational. “This pilot helps ensure that our next
generation of students in Massachusetts learn the fundamen-
tals of data and AI literacy, and that our educators are empow-
ered to lead with confidence and instill emerging technology
proactively, in classrooms all over the state.”
The pilot is a cornerstone of the Massachusetts AI Hub’s
mission to position the state as a global leader in applied and
ethical AI. Future Ready: AI in the Classroom is the first in a
series of educator-focused initiatives aligned with the Hub’s
education and workforce development strategy, ensuring that
students across Massachusetts are not only prepared for the
future of innovation, but are actively shaping it. The pilot pro-
gram also advances the goals of the Massachusetts STEM
Advisory Council by strengthening STEM education and sup-
porting educators with a network of STEM resources.
“Artificial intelligence has the potential to expand access
to information and unlock new learning opportunities for stu-
dents across Massachusetts,” Massachusetts AI Hub Executive
Director Sabrina Mansur said. “With this pilot program, our
state will be able to empower teachers to incorporate the ben-
efits of AI in student education. Ultimately, our goal is to create
a strong pipeline of talent who understand how to use AI to
build a stronger economy.”
David Dimmett, president and CEO of PLTW, noted that
“we believe in empowering students to become the innova-
tors and problem solvers of tomorrow. This partnership with
Massachusetts represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking
approach we need to prepare educators and students for an
AI-driven future. By providing teachers with hands-on, project-
based AI learning experiences, we’re ensuring that students
don’t just understand artificial intelligence — they learn to har-
ness it as a tool for creativity and innovation. This pilot will
serve as a model for how we can scale AI literacy across the
U.S.”
The launch of the pilot reflects a broader, coordinated effort
across Massachusetts state government to harness AI’s poten-
tial in a way that is forward-thinking, inclusive, and impactful.
It follows the work of the Massachusetts AI Strategic Task
Force, established by Healey in 2024 to chart a path for AI
adoption, talent development, and economic growth. The task
force’s recommendations directly informed the creation of
the AI Hub and highlighted the need for strong partnerships
between government, industry, and academia. The administra-
tion also invested $100 million through the Mass Leads Act to
support AI innovation at scale and strengthen Massachusetts’
global leadership in AI.
In K-12 education specifically, the Department of Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education (DESE) is also leading efforts
to support educators as access to AI increases. Through a
partnership with the International Society for Technology in
Education and the Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, DESE convened a K-12 AI task force focused
on developing recommendations to support school communi-
ties in their use of AI. This task force produced a multi-year AI
roadmap focused on AI literacy, student data privacy, and edu-
cator preparation. BW
“Through this
pilot, we’re giving
educators the
foundation they
need to navigate
this new era
with confidence,
fueling workforce
readiness and
expanding
opportunity for
students.”
Business W est << EDUCATION >>
AUGUST 4, 2025
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