This Month's Latest Tech News in Des Moines, IA - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

April 2025 marked significant changes in Des Moines' educational and tech policy landscape, driven by urgent concerns about student well-being, safety, and the role of technology.

Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law a statewide ban on cellphones during instructional time, requiring all K-12 schools to implement restrictive policies that still allow exceptions for students with disabilities and parental requests, a decision praised for fostering improvements in grades, attendance, and classroom culture at Hoover High School - where

“Student belonging data increased by 7%. Anecdotally, I was told that there's been a complete culture shift at Hoover this year - more joy, more camaraderie and much more learning.”

Lawmakers also advanced measures to create school threat assessment teams and passed legislation redefining bullying, removing lists of protected traits in hopes of ensuring equal protection for all students - though not without debate over potential impacts on vulnerable groups.

For a comprehensive look at legislative action this session, including education reforms and property tax proposals, visit this Capitol Update from the Urban Education Network of Iowa, explore coverage of the new cellphone policy in Iowa Public Radio's analysis of the cellphone ban in K-12 schools, and review Iowa's evolving definitions of school bullying in the Des Moines Register's recent report on bullying legislation.

The recent deepfake scandal at Cascade High School has sent shockwaves through Iowa's educational and legislative communities, after AI-generated nude images of at least 40 students surfaced, leaving victims and families devastated and demanding decisive action.

Students bravely spoke out about the trauma, with Harper stating,

“I'm worried that every time they see me, they see those photos… I am speaking now because I need to fight for what is right.”

In response to mounting outrage, school administrators convened emergency meetings and are considering new policies to address digital harm, while parents petition for stronger protection and support.

Law enforcement describes the situation as “a whole new world of cyber illicit activity” - one that is both technically and legally challenging to manage. At the state level, Iowa has already criminalized the creation of AI-generated sexual content of minors, with those convicted facing felony charges and mandatory sex offender registration.

Nationally, nearly unanimous bipartisan support propelled the “Take It Down Act” to federal approval, requiring tech platforms to remove nonconsensual, exploitative images within 48 hours - a bill expected to soon be signed into law.

For an in-depth account of the students' testimonies and district policy changes, see the KCRG report on Cascade students speaking out against deepfakes.

Updates on legislative efforts can be found in the Des Moines Register's deep-dive into the federal and state response, while a summary of law enforcement and community reactions is available via KCRG's investigation coverage.

Iowa State University's Karri Haen Whitmer is breaking new ground with Ama AI, an advanced software learning companion designed specifically for school-aged children with learning disabilities.

Developed by the startup NarrateAR, Ama AI provides personalized support by adapting lesson plans based on input from parents, therapists, and Individualized Education Plans, helping students increase their independence and manage daily life activities while supplementing - not replacing - special education teachers and aides.

The platform's social impact is significant, responding to the troubling statistic that approximately 75% of individuals with disabilities are unemployed, with a mission to support students from early education through professional life.

A pilot is scheduled at the All Aboard for Kids summer camp in Ames, signaling a commitment to evidence-based implementation. Whitmer's journey has included participation in innovation programs and accelerator cohorts, as well as funding from the NewSchools Venture Fund.

As special education enrollment continues to rise in Iowa - now serving 14% of the state's public school students - Ama AI's arrival could help fill persistent gaps in teacher training and support, highlighted in a recent analysis of Iowa's special education needs.

Program	Focus	Status
Ama AI	Personalized AI support for students with disabilities	Pilot at Ames camp, summer 2025
Teacher incentives	Scholarships, loan forgiveness for special ed teachers	Active in Iowa
Special needs students	14% of Iowa public school enrollment	Ongoing need

As Whitmer states,

“Ama will eventually be a comprehensive assistive technology for someone with cognitive processing disabilities - helping them make decisions and go about their daily lives.”

Learn more about this pioneering initiative on the Iowa State University CALS news page and how it aligns with broader trends in inclusive education for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as the call for stronger support in Iowa's special education.

Des Moines-based Homesteaders Life, a century-old insurer specializing in funeral and end-of-life coverage, is navigating the complicated landscape of AI adoption and regulatory compliance in the insurance sector.

Executive Vice President Nick Gerhart notes that while AI and insurtech startups offer transformative solutions to streamline operations, clarify policy coverage, and enhance the customer experience, small, family-run funeral homes face notable adoption hurdles.

The company is building a cohesive digital ecosystem - currently 70% complete - to help funeral homes amplify their brand and support families through lengthy estate settlements, sometimes requiring over 500 hours of effort.

Gerhart emphasizes that,

“technology is a necessity, not a luxury, for insurers,”

and that platform innovations must create real, agent-empowering value to meet evolving consumer expectations for accessibility and clarity according to Digital Insurance.

However, regulatory scrutiny remains intense, especially regarding potential AI bias: models must be auditable and traceable, with transparent decision-making to ensure fairness and consumer protection.

Insurers must balance the confidentiality of proprietary models with the need for regulatory transparency - a difficult feat in a system not fully prepared for AI-driven risks and possible market disruptions.

Gerhart's perspective is echoed in recent industry commentary, which highlights the dual role of technology as both an enabler and a compliance challenge for traditional insurers as seen on Insurance Nerds.

For stakeholders, successful innovation will depend on collaborative adaptation, robust oversight, and a willingness to tackle technical and regulatory hurdles head-on, ensuring families and agents alike benefit from meaningful, user-friendly solutions as discussed in The Federal Newswire interview with Nick Gerhart.

As the National Weather Service (NWS) in Des Moines and across the Midwest faces critical staffing shortages - some offices reporting vacancy rates near 35% - the agency increasingly turns to artificial intelligence (AI) to maintain lifesaving weather forecasts.

Recent federal workforce reductions have forced NWS to suspend or sharply reduce weather balloon launches, a key source of atmospheric data for severe weather prediction, with sites like Omaha, NE and Rapid City, SD halting launches entirely while others cut back to once daily.

Experts warn these gaps could downgrade forecast accuracy to early 2000s levels, jeopardizing timely warnings. Despite these challenges, innovative AI and machine learning applications are being deployed at agencies like NOAA, which uses advanced algorithms to analyze immense weather datasets and detect patterns in real-time, supplementing diminished human resources.

However, meteorologists stress that human expertise remains irreplaceable for context-driven, high-impact decisions. As summarized by the National Weather Service Employees Organization:

"The mission to save lives has not suffered. Communities are still being covered across the country by NWS employees."

The following table highlights recent NWS staffing trends:

Year	Vacancy Rate
2015	9.3%
2025	19%-35% (site-dependent)

For a detailed look at the AI transition amid ongoing cuts, see how AI is supporting weather prediction at the NWS.

For data on how cutbacks have altered traditional forecasting tools, read the impact of reduced weather balloon launches in the Midwest.

Find a national perspective on operational risks and critical understaffing at this PBS NewsHour expert analysis.

The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) team has been named a national finalist in the prestigious 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC), a competition led by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation.

DMACC's innovative project, the Smart Tapering Vaporizer with AI-Coaching (AI-CQD), aims to revolutionize smoking cessation using artificial intelligence and rapid-delivery inhaler technology.

This year's finalist teams, including DMACC, will participate in a multi-day Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C., focusing on professional development, mentoring, and pitching innovations to STEM leaders and industry experts.

The competition emphasizes turning STEM knowledge into real-world impact, with engagements on Capitol Hill and cash awards at stake. According to the official Community College Innovation Challenge program guide, DMACC joins colleges from across the nation in addressing diverse modern challenges such as energy sustainability, green computing, and healthcare innovation.

For a full overview of participating projects, see the table below. DMACC's AI-assisted cessation device leverages the latest advances - mirroring market disruptors like Miist Therapeutics, whose Phase I trials shown smokers can “eliminate 92% of their cravings in only 2 minutes,” a pace far surpassing existing methods (TechCrunch article on Miist Therapeutics launch).

The CCIC provides travel and pitching opportunities for student inventors, uniquely preparing them for careers that connect science, business, and public service (Community College Innovation Challenge 2025 overview).

College	Location	Project Title
Des Moines Area Community College	Iowa	Smart Tapering Vaporizer with AI-Coaching – AI-CQD
Bergen Community College	New Jersey	Pop-Up Hydroponic Farms from Recycled Materials
Coalinga College	California	Burn Care Innovation – The Dream Team
Dallas College	Texas	AVIADAR – Alerts VIA Detection and Ranging

Landus has transformed Iowa's agricultural landscape with the launch of SkyScout, an AI-powered aerial analytics platform that puts advanced field insights in the hands of every local farmer.

By harnessing drones and fixed-wing aircraft, SkyScout delivers high-resolution scans every 12 days and applies machine learning to detect weed pressure, nutrient deficiencies, crop stress, and disease up to two weeks before symptoms appear - with up to 95% precision.

Landus agronomy experts translate this imagery into actionable recommendations, optimizing input use and reducing yield prediction variability by 50% over conventional methods.

The technology integrates seamlessly with major farm management tools and offers tailored analytics for both corn and soybean crops, as shown below:

Feature	Benefit
Image Frequency	Every 12 days (10 flights/season)
Disease Detection	Identifies issues up to two weeks in advance
Diagnostic Precision	Up to 95% for weeds, stress, and disease
Yield Prediction	Reduces variability by 50%
Integrated Tools	Works with John Deere Operations Center™ & Climate FieldView™

“SkyScout gives farmers and growers an unprecedented advantage when it comes to accuracy and planning. Growers are generally within 10 percent when predicting their yield - SkyScout can reduce that variability by 50 percent. The ability to make informed, real-time decisions ensures they get the best ROI.” - Sam Caton, Interim CEO of Landus

This bold step cements Landus as a leader in sustainable, technology-driven farming.

Read more about the future of aerial crop intelligence at the Feed & Grain report on SkyScout's capabilities and see how Landus advances agtech innovation for resilient and efficient Iowa farms.

Drake University Law School has launched a pioneering Artificial Intelligence Law Certificate Program, equipping students with the interdisciplinary expertise required at the evolving legal-tech frontier.

Designed for J.D. candidates in their second and third years, the program integrates law, computer science, and the humanities, offering hands-on learning through collaborations with research leaders and organizations like the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation.

As Dean Roscoe Jones, Jr. explains,

“The AI Law Certificate empowers students to lead at the intersection of law and technology – whether in private practice, government, nonprofit, policymaking or academia... At Drake Law, we prepare our students with the insight, rigor, and forward-thinking vision needed to meet this moment – and shape what comes next.”

The curriculum requires a minimum of 18 credits, spanning core courses such as AI and the Law, electives like Copyright Law, and experiential clinics and moot court.

The program emphasizes both technical depth and ethical analysis, preparing graduates to critically navigate AI's opportunities and risks. For more on the program's launch and its vision for legal education in the age of AI, read the official announcement from Drake Law School, get a full overview of certificate requirements at the Artificial Intelligence Certificate program page, or see the story covered by Law360's legal tech section.

Des Moines is witnessing a groundbreaking shift in overdose prevention awareness through the launch of a new campaign that leverages artificial intelligence to share the intimate stories of fentanyl overdose victims.

By creating digital avatars of those lost, the initiative aims to personalize the dangers of counterfeit pills, which accounted for 4.7% of overdose deaths in 2021 - more than double the rate from 2019, with teens and young adults most at risk.

As highlighted by KCRG's coverage of “Unfinished Legacies” AI technology for fatal drug overdose victims, this emotionally resonant technology is offering voices to the voiceless, hoping to ensure peers heed their warnings.

Supporting effective communication and public health strategies, local organizations like the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition provide guidelines for non-stigmatizing language and highlight compelling outcomes - such as a 27% decrease in new hepatitis C cases among Iowans under 40 since 2016, thanks to harm reduction efforts.

As the overdose epidemic persists, the American Medical Association emphasizes the importance of physician leadership and coordinated responses to the overdose epidemic.

This campaign represents a fusion of technology and empathy, reinforcing that the path forward in substance use prevention requires both high-tech innovation and deep community connection.

For more on evidence-based prevention and upcoming initiatives, the Governor's Conference on Substance Use in Iowa convenes health professionals to further address these urgent challenges.

Visa is launching a groundbreaking pilot that allows artificial intelligence agents to autonomously shop and pay on consumers' behalf, signaling a significant leap for secure and personalized e-commerce.

With the new Visa Intelligent Commerce platform, users upload their card information to an AI agent, set budgets and preferences, and let the agent handle tasks like booking travel, grocery shopping, or completing holiday lists.

This initiative, developed in collaboration with leading AI companies such as Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity, and Mistral, employs tokenization and advanced authentication to keep payments safe and user-controlled.

As Jack Forestell, Visa's Chief Product and Strategy Officer, explains,

“Soon people will have AI agents browse, select, purchase and manage on their behalf. These agents will need to be trusted with payments, not only by users, but by banks and sellers as well.”

Five integrated modules - including authentication, tokenization, personalized payment instructions, consent-based personalization, and real-time risk signals - ensure both security and seamlessness for AI-driven transactions, aiming to make AI commerce as secure as routine tap-to-pay.

According to recent industry insights, non-cash transactions are expected to rise from $1.3 trillion in 2023 to $2.3 trillion by 2027, driven by innovations like predictive fraud prevention and the rise of virtual cards, which are projected to grow from $200 billion in 2019 to $500 billion in 2025 (trends in AI payments technology adoption).

The AI agent pilots are live now, with broader availability expected next year, aiming to set a new standard for digital payments as detailed in Visa's Intelligent Commerce announcement.

This April, the Cascade community in Iowa demanded urgent school action and stronger policies after a disturbing incident where forty Cascade High School students were victimized by explicit AI-generated "deepfake" images.

At emotional school board forums, both students and parents voiced frustration over what they saw as inadequate support and communication. As one affected student shared,

“No one at school has talked to me or offered any counseling. I feel like we have been silenced at school, as teachers have said we aren't allowed to talk about it at school. I put a lot of time and effort into my education and extra activities at Cascade High School. I wish I could say Cascade High School does the same for me.”

Superintendent Dan Butler acknowledged the gravity and newness of such technological harm, stating, “It's a challenging situation for us as school officials, it's a challenging situation for our students, the victims, and it's a challenging situation for our families.” With local law enforcement still investigating, many parents have rallied for improved victim support protocols and proactive prevention policies - a call echoed nationwide as Congress advances the bipartisan “Take It Down Act” mandating tech platforms quickly remove nonconsensual, sexually exploitative images.

Iowa already criminalizes creation of such AI content featuring minors, yet this unprecedented case highlights the complexity of enforcement and victim well-being in the age of generative AI. For further details and firsthand accounts, explore robust reporting from The Des Moines Register's coverage on AI deepfakes at Cascade High School, an in-depth local perspective from KCRG's interviews with affected students and parents, and the scope of the incident as reported by Radio Iowa's coverage of AI deepfake victims.

The district has committed to revisiting its policies in light of public outcry, signaling a wider shift toward safeguarding students in the digital era.

Des Moines stands out as a hub where technology innovation is closely matched by a strong commitment to community responsibility, evident in the area's proactive engagement with rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

Iowa has been at the forefront of adopting regulatory best practices, with the state joining 23 others in embracing the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' AI Model Bulletin, mandating transparency, governance, and consumer protections in insurance AI applications; a full list of adopting states can be found in this comprehensive NAIC update.

At the educational level, Des Moines educators and institutions are rapidly integrating AI into curricula and workforce development, backed by federal executive orders that prioritize AI literacy, teacher training, and accessible learning resources across all age groups as described in the White House's recent AI education directive.

Community-centered programs like the Iowa 4-H Youth Development's AI Challenge are also empowering students from K–12 to envision practical AI solutions tailored to local needs - welcoming participation from all backgrounds and prioritizing inclusivity and imagination over technical prerequisites, as highlighted by Iowa State University's 4-H outreach: learn more about the Youth AI Challenge here.

Through collective effort - balancing policy, education, ethics, and empowerment - Des Moines demonstrates how a city can lead in both technological progress and social responsibility, ensuring the benefits of digital transformation are widely shared.