This Month's Latest Tech News in St Paul, MN - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

St. Paul is fast emerging as a Midwest leader in artificial intelligence and technology innovation, propelled by a surge of forward-thinking initiatives in June 2025.

Throughout the recently celebrated Tech Month, the city highlighted resilience in its tech workforce and showcased a robust lineup of events - from AI equity forums to hands-on innovation conferences - reinforcing that tech jobs account for nearly 4% of Ramsey County's employment.

The University of St. Thomas is amplifying this momentum by launching its pioneering Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Leadership, designed to empower non-technical professionals to manage AI responsibly.

Meanwhile, state agencies are adopting secure generative AI solutions for public service, setting a high bar for digital governance in the public sector. As Commissioner Tarek Tomes noted,

“Our commitment to innovation goes hand in hand with our responsibility to safeguard Minnesotans' data, ensuring that AI is used securely and effectively to enhance public services.”

Collectively, these efforts - and new collaborations between education, government, and industry - underscore why St. Paul is now setting the regional pace for AI leadership.

For a comprehensive list of resources and upcoming initiatives, visit the Minnesota IT Services.

The University of St. Thomas is redefining campus AI innovation with TommieBot, an in-house generative AI chatbot built by faculty and students to streamline campus life for both prospective and current Tommies.

Initially prototyped in just one month by Professor Chih Lai, TommieBot now integrates across digital platforms like the School of Engineering and Dougherty Family College portals, enabling users to inquire about academic programs, policy details, technical issues, and more.

The chatbot leverages a proprietary Retrieval Augmentation Generation (RAG) technique - developed well before the approach was widely adopted - making it notably more accurate than comparable commercial chatbots.

As highlighted in the St. Thomas Newsroom feature on TommieBot's development, the project fostered cross-campus collaboration, enhanced AI literacy, and avoided significant licensing costs.

According to AI Innovation Fellow Jihun Moon,

“TommieBot is the beginning of a new era of how Tommies interact with a computer. AI is changing our relationship with technology.”

Looking ahead, TommieBot will integrate with new tools like ClassNavigator for academic planning, and inspire further generative AI research through the Institute for AI for the Common Good.

Ongoing coverage in the May 7, 2025 St. Thomas newsletter and university innovation updates confirms TommieBot's role as a catalyst for campus-wide experimentation and technical empowerment.

For a detailed breakdown of TommieBot's features and deployment, visit the Artificial Intelligence hub at St. Thomas.

This pioneering approach not only accelerates digital support for all campus members, but also positions St. Thomas as a leader in ethical, value-driven artificial intelligence.

The race among tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Google to establish hyperscale AI data centers in Minnesota is accelerating, thanks to the state's abundant water resources, cool climate, and attractive tax incentives.

With over ten major new projects proposed and Meta's $800 million Rosemount data center underway, this regional boom could see data center capacity grow up to 50 times in the coming years, prompting state lawmakers to weigh significant trade-offs.

As MPR News details, these data centers could consume as much electricity as all Minnesota households combined, raising alarms about environmental impacts and resource equity.

Community groups and lawmakers are pushing back, questioning tax breaks worth over $100 million annually and the lack of environmental scrutiny; as Sarah Mooradian of CURE puts it in a recent press release,

“This industry severely underestimated the power of Minnesotans…”

Recent high-profile debates have led firms like Amazon to reconsider or suspend data center builds, while others like Microsoft are slowing national expansion to recalibrate for changing demand, as reported by FOX 9.

As Minnesota grapples with balancing economic growth and sustainability, the final shape of policies around energy, water use, and tax breaks remains hotly contested.

Minnesota's tech sector is capturing attention with a breakthrough from Professor Jian-Ping Wang and his team at the University of Minnesota, who have developed computational random-access memory (CRAM) to massively reduce AI energy consumption.

By performing computations entirely within memory cells - employing Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs) instead of traditional multi-transistor approaches - CRAM eliminates the need for energy-intensive data transfers and marks a pivotal leap toward sustainable AI. Experimental results published in npj Unconventional Computing energy efficiency study show energy reductions of at least 1,000 times, and up to 2,500 times, compared to conventional memory architectures, with core AI operations like matrix multiplication executed in under 500 nanoseconds while consuming just 0.47 microjoules.

As the International Energy Agency forecasts AI's annual energy use to double from 460 TWh in 2022 to 1,000 TWh by 2026 - matching the electricity needs of Japan - such innovations could be transformative for both industry and the environment.

The technology's adaptability supports diverse AI algorithms and applications from neural networks to edge computing, and large-scale collaboration with semiconductor leaders is underway to bring this advancement to commercial reality.

As Professor Wang observed:

“Our initial concept to use memory cells directly for computing 20 years ago was considered crazy… now we have demonstrated that this kind of technology is feasible and is ready to be incorporated into technology.”

For further insight, see concise analyses on the surging demands of AI energy and the promise of CRAM detailed by KARE 11's coverage of AI energy reduction research and the environmental context described at Greek Reporter's report on AI memory device efficiency.

The University of St. Thomas is breaking new ground in the Midwest with the launch of its Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Leadership (MAIL), the first program of its kind in the region designed for non-technical professionals seeking to ethically and strategically manage AI within their organizations.

Beginning fall 2025, this fully online, asynchronous graduate program empowers future leaders from business, nonprofit, and government sectors to confidently address AI's integration, focusing on foundational knowledge, responsible implementation, and collaborative communication with technical experts.

“Graduates of the Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Leadership will have the theoretical, practical, and ethical background to realize the full potential of these new technologies,”

says Dr. Thomas Feeney, the program's academic lead.

The 10-course, part-time curriculum includes subjects such as AI literacy for leaders, law and compliance, ethics, and hands-on project work, ensuring graduates can identify AI opportunities and drive responsible adoption.

For a comprehensive look at the program structure - including sample course sequencing and portfolio expectations - visit the official Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Leadership program site at the College of Arts and Sciences.

This initiative complements the university's technical-focused Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, highlighting a commitment to broad-based, ethical AI leadership that addresses market needs for both specialists and decision-makers.

Read the detailed announcement about the AI leadership master's degree launch at the University of St. Thomas.

Learn more about the regional impact and key differences compared to other graduate AI programs in the complete news coverage on NewsBreak's spotlight on St. Thomas's bold new AI leadership offering.

Minnesota is at the forefront of leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance road safety with a new AI-powered pilot program launched across Central Minnesota during the notorious "100 Deadliest Days" of summer.

Utilizing the Road Safety Information Center, this initiative analyzes vast traffic data to forecast high-risk crash locations and strategically direct law enforcement efforts, aiming to reduce the annual surge in summer traffic fatalities - 151 deaths were reported during this period in 2024 alone.

As summarized by the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson,

"We're at the tip of the spear using advanced technology to analyze data in new ways. This technology grows and learns with every bit of data… We've been on a traffic fatality plateau too long. We need new tools to improve road safety."

The pilot's AI platform is being tested by a coalition of local and state agencies including the Minnesota State Patrol, Stearns County Sheriff's Office, and St.

Cloud Police Department, and is designed to continually improve its crash predictions with each new data point. Early results indicate promising potential for the system to break the state's fatality plateau and support Minnesota's goal of zero road deaths.

For more insights on the technology and the agencies driving the initiative, visit this in-depth report on Central Minnesota's AI-powered road safety pilot, learn how law enforcement is targeting high-risk areas through advanced analytics from FOX 9's coverage of the AI program launch, and explore the state's holistic Toward Zero Deaths approach in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's program overview.

The collaboration underscores a shift to data-driven road safety and could set a precedent for nationwide adoption of similar AI-driven solutions.

Federal funding cuts to Enterprise Minnesota, the state's only Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, are set to drastically shrink support for small and rural manufacturers across the state.

The loss of $3.2 million - 45% of its budget - could reduce its service area from 82 to just 12 counties, putting at risk essential services such as strategic planning, automation, and certification assistance that benefit over 510 rural manufacturers and critical suppliers.

In the past five years alone, Enterprise Minnesota's clients have added $696 million in revenue and 6,600 jobs, but now face higher costs or loss of service altogether.

These cuts threaten the “heart and soul” of Minnesota's supply chain, as highlighted in the Duluth News Tribune's analysis of statewide supply chain risks.

Individual manufacturers like Atscott Manufacturing in Pine City and Backdraft Manufacturing in Luverne credit the program for business expansion and critical certifications that open new markets and support local job growth, while leaders warn of layoffs, stagnation, and community disruption.

As Bob Kill, CEO of Enterprise Minnesota, put it in a recent interview,

“We're going to do whatever we have to... It's urgent. It's terrible.”

The federal government's pivot towards prioritizing emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing comes at the expense of rural economic vitality, prompting bipartisan appeals from Minnesota's congressional delegation.

For more on the direct implications for businesses and the ripple effects across rural communities, read the full Star Tribune report in the Star Tribune, and see local reactions and case studies in The Globe's coverage.

St. Paul's tech startup scene is making significant strides in AI-driven solutions for the legal and healthcare data sectors this May, reflecting broader national momentum in legaltech innovation.

Legaltech startups across the U.S. have raised over $1 billion in 2025, as platforms like Harvey, Luminance, and Legora secure major clients and funding while transforming how law firms approach research, document review, and litigation prediction.

Stockholm-based Legora recently closed an $80 million Series B round, on the heels of a rebrand, with law firms such as Cleary and Goodwin adopting its AI-powered legal research tools after a robust period of product development.

Meanwhile, startups including St. Paul-founded Supio, which has raised $91 million to date, are directly targeting plaintiff law firms with platforms that parse complex records and support legal chronologies and research, contributing to rapid expansion in revenue and customer base as reported in industry breakdowns.

Healthcare AI innovation is also in the spotlight, with the AI Spring Summit 2025 in Minnesota uniting leaders to discuss the intersections of AI, governance, ethics, and practical applications in care delivery and operations.

As Gopal Khanna, Chair of the Health AI Institute, remarked,

“We are entering uncharted territory where AI presents enormous opportunities but also significant uncertainty. A whole-of-industry approach is essential to inform policymaking, drive data integration, and implement forward-looking strategies that meet the healthcare needs of the American people.”

For innovators and job seekers in Ramsey County, Tech Month events such as “Trust vs Transparency in AI” and “Tech Connect” are highlighting St. Paul's commitment to responsible and transparent AI practices supporting equitable growth in these critical sectors.

For a detailed look at healthcare AI's future, see the official AI Spring Summit 2025 announcement.

AI translation tools are making significant strides in empowering Minnesota's vibrant Hmong community, which now numbers nearly 100,000 - one of the largest in the U.S. Efforts such as the UMN Hmong Corpus Project not only preserve language and cultural stories in a searchable, bilingual digital library, but also foster educational research and language learning for new generations. St. Paul's DaoTech Solutions is at the forefront, teaching digital skills and AI literacy to Hmong entrepreneurs and noting notable improvements in AI models like ChatGPT for Hmong translation and business applications, albeit with continued challenges in pronunciation and dialect nuances, especially for elders.

Minnesota's public sector is also leveraging AI - a recent statewide rollout uses OpenAI technology to provide real-time, culturally optimized translations for languages like Hmong, spanning everything from school communications to legal services, thereby reducing costs and turnaround times for multi-language engagement.

As May Yang-Her, a local tech expert, puts it,

“With the 50th anniversary this year, there's been a lot of looking back and talk about where we've been. The next 50 years is going to be so different.”

These advances, built collaboratively between technologists and community advocates, are bridging generational gaps and ensuring linguistic and cultural resilience for Minnesota's Hmong people.

For more on Minnesota's statewide AI translation initiative, visit Minnesota Picks OpenAI for AI Translation and Real-time Interpretation, and for a deeper look at local leadership, read AI is English-centric, but it's picking up Hmong quickly.

Minnesota is at the center of a national legal test as Elon Musk's social media platform X Corp. (formerly Twitter) launched a federal lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 law banning the use of deepfakes to influence elections.

The statute, passed with bipartisan support, criminalizes knowingly distributing AI-generated content that a reasonable person would believe to be real within 90 days of an election or after absentee voting begins, if intended to injure a candidate or sway election results - a violation punishable by up to five years in prison for repeat offenders.

X argues the law is vague, unintelligible, and preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, contending it incentivizes platforms to over-censor at the expense of protected political speech.

Constitutional law experts, including University of Minnesota's Prof. Alan Rozenshtein, warn the statute is likely vulnerable:

“I think this lawsuit is actually quite strong and that this law...is very likely to be struck down on both First Amendment grounds and also federal statutory grounds.”

Meanwhile, legislative authors insist the law is clear and a vital safeguard to democracy, stating its focus is narrow and still allows satire and parody.

The table below summarizes the key features and controversies of the law:

This lawsuit could impact how states regulate AI-driven misinformation, with national implications for free speech and digital platform responsibility.

For a deeper dive, see expert commentary at AP News analysis of Musk's X suit over Minnesota's deepfake law, explore legal perspectives via Business Insider's coverage of constitutional debates, and catch the full breakdown of lawsuit claims at Courthouse News' detailed report on the federal case.

This year's Knight Media Forum (KMF) 2025 marked a milestone for St. Paul's influence in the national discourse on technology, journalism, and civic engagement, drawing nearly 1,000 attendees, including civic leaders, philanthropic funders, scholars, and journalists.

Focused on the urgent themes of institutional trust, technological disruption, and belonging, KMF featured investments such as over $200 million from “Press Forward” across 88 funders and 36 local chapters, with the Knight Foundation recently announcing an additional $25 million to support up to 60 nonprofit news outlets and launching the Knight Resiliency Lab.

Table discussions highlighted how AI and social media influencers are “reshaping journalism,” with Dr. Arvind Narayanan noting,

“Jobs are bundles of tasks, and AI automates tasks. Most workers can reframe tasks and upskill, but jobs already turned into gig work are more vulnerable.”

Evening programs and keynotes - like Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's reflection on digital wellbeing - emphasized both resilience and the essential role of human connection in the AI era.

Beyond panel discussions and networking, the Glen Nelson Center's “Next Challenge” startup competition announced $200,000 in grants for media innovation initiatives supporting local journalism.

For a full breakdown of session topics and keynote highlights, see the official Knight Media Forum 2025 overview, explore the five key takeaways and notable quotes in this independent summary of Knight Media Forum 2025, and watch featured sessions including “Shop Talk: Covering the Confluence of Tech and Politics” on the Knight Foundation's official YouTube playlist.

St. Paul's future as an AI leader hinges on deftly navigating the intersection of innovation, resource stewardship, workforce readiness, and ethical regulation.

As new federal directives promote a more relaxed approach to AI policy, Minnesota stands to accelerate growth and attract outside investment, yet must remain vigilant about risks to public trust, safety, and job stability; local experts urge a balanced framework, suggesting Minnesota proactively shape its own pragmatic guidelines modeled on global best practices like the EU AI Act - emphasizing transparency, accountability, and collaboration across sectors (AI policy changes and Minnesota's path forward).

State and local government, industry, and academia collaborate through events such as Tech Month and upcoming precision agriculture conferences to connect talent, address resource strain driven by data center growth ambitions, and discuss responsible AI deployment amidst rapidly advancing legislation both locally and nationwide (events shaping St. Paul's tech community; recent national AI legislative trends).

As noted by the Minnesota Technology Association, striking this balance is essential:

“If AI regulations in Minnesota become more restrictive than in peer states, we risk losing not just jobs but also innovation, entrepreneurship, and tax revenue.”

By fostering skills development and openness to responsible change, St. Paul is poised to remain at the forefront of Midwest AI - maximizing the social and economic benefits of emerging technologies while ensuring an inclusive, adaptable tech workforce for years to come.