Griffin: AI education is vital for Washington

President Donald Trump recently used his executive pen to advance artificial intelligence education across the country. Signed on April 23, the “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth” executive order implements a federal AI education framework for all K-12 schools and more.

The president checks nearly every box that proponents of AI education are advocating. The order creates a federal task force, holds student competitions, fosters industry collaboration and fast-tracks grant programs. According to the AI education order: “To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our nation’s youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology. By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.”

A high-level White House Task Force on AI education will be led by Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The task force consists of cabinet members and agency heads from the departments of Education, Labor, Energy, Agriculture and the National Science Foundation. Its role is to organize national AI education efforts.

The order specifies that federal agencies will work with industry, academic researchers and nonprofits to create online materials that will help teach K-12 students the basics of AI literacy and critical thinking. A national contest will be used to promote and showcase student and educator AI successes, advancing technology and spurring cross-sector collaboration.

Idaho, Washington, Montana and Wyoming all have something different to offer to the national conversation about AI education, and all have something to gain from the federal executive order.

Each state has its challenges, but the opportunity is the same: Equip students to go from being tech consumers to tech creators in the AI-driven economy. By matching the national strategy, states throughout our region can make the most of this federal push in some very specific and important ways.

Idaho can take advantage of federal dollars to boost its already strong STEM programs and give more rural educators AI teaching tools.

Washington has an opportunity to turn its tech-sector supremacy into in-classroom success, establishing more effective collaboration between industry and public education through partnership, apprenticeship and early career pipelines.

Montana, with AI integration, can empower its distance learning architecture and level the playing field so rural students have access to the same advanced tools that urban students do.

Wyoming has the opportunity to integrate AI literacy throughout its expanding career and technical education pathways, which have the potential to not only prepare students for college but also high-skill, high-wage jobs in an ever-changing workforce.

The executive order on AI education acknowledges the need to get the next generation ready for a future where AI is central. The Mountain States region could extract great value by supporting the effort and ensuring that its youth are not only technology consumers, but also technology creators and leaders in the AI-fueled world.

Sebastian Griffin is the lead researcher for the Junkermier Center for Technology and Innovation at Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington and Wyoming.