Microsoft’s TechSpark Initiative Trains North Dakota State Workers in AI
Nearly 70 North Dakota state workers have received artificial intelligence training through Microsoft’s TechSpark initiative, potentially leading to real-world applications in state government. According to Taya Spelhaug, local lead for Microsoft’s TechSpark program, the training took place in 2023 and involved workers from various state agencies.
The TechSpark program, created in 2017, has secured over $700 million in community funding and trained 65,000 people worldwide in technology skills. In North Dakota, it also contributed to the creation of the Grand Farm, a concept for future farms. Microsoft provided $1.5 million to Grand Farm through Emerging Prairie, a Fargo-based organization supporting start-up ventures.
The training was conducted by gener8tor, a global venture and skilling firm. Dani Remmick, account manager at gener8tor, stated that North Dakota was the first state to offer AI training to employees and formalize it. After completing the training, state workers formed teams and proposed potential AI implementation projects in state government.
Three ideas were deemed ‘shovel ready’: an online research assistant, a legislative action tracker, and a chatbot to help search the North Dakota government website. The chatbot, named ‘Dakota,’ became a pilot project within the North Dakota Department of Commerce during spring and summer 2024. Although it remains on hold due to budget considerations, Kim Weis, chief data officer for North Dakota, noted that the AI skills acquired by state employees will remain valuable.
State workers will soon use Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered assistant, to enhance productivity. Weis emphasized that the AI skilling process has provided valuable lessons that will inform future development efforts.
