Shapiro addresses AI tech during roundtable in West Chester

Shapiro AI roundtable: Pennsylvania governor pledges $1M workforce fund at West Chester tech meet

Sarah Mills | GlobalBeat

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro convened a bipartisan roundtable on artificial intelligence with industry leaders at West Chester University.

The governor announced a $1 million state grant for AI workforce training during the Monday afternoon session, according to his office.

Shapiro convened academics, entrepreneurs and legislators to craft policy on data privacy, algorithmic bias and job displacement. Pennsylvania has no comprehensive AI statute.

Shapiro said the grant would seed university certificates in machine learning for 1,500 displaced workers within 12 months, his press secretary confirmed. Funding comes from federal American Rescue Plan dollars.

“We cannot allow innovation to outpace preparation,” Shapiro told participants, according to a transcript released by his office. “These dollars put Pennsylvania ahead of the curve.”

Attendees included representatives from Comcast, DuPont and Vanguard, the governor’s office said. Each firm piloted generative tools last year.

State Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, a Republican, praised the initiative, his spokesman said. Pittman backs a pending bill requiring impact assessments for high-risk AI used in hiring and housing.

West Chester computer science professor Prem Jain presented survey data showing 62% of local manufacturers plan AI adoption by 2025, the university reported. Jain warned most small plants lack data governance policies.

Pennsylvania Department of Labor data shows 208,000 state residents work in occupations at high risk of automation, including trucking and customer service. Average replacement retraining costs reach $5,400 per worker, the agency calculated.

Shapiro directed state agencies in February to draft ethical AI guidelines, his office said. Draft rules remain under internal review.

Background

Pennsylvania last updated its data-breach notification law in 2020, before generative models became mainstream. Lawmakers introduced 14 AI-related bills this session; none have reached a floor vote.

The state unemployment rate stayed at 3.4% in April, yet manufacturing payrolls fell 0.8% year-over-year, according to federal data. Labor economists link the decline to productivity upgrades.

What’s Next

Shapiro will host a second roundtable in Pittsburgh next month, his office said, focusing on AI in health care. Draft legislation on algorithmic auditing is expected by September.

The workforce grant application portal opens July 1, the Department of Community and Economic Development said. Awards will be announced before the fall semester begins.