This Month's Latest Tech News in Tulsa, OK - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

Tulsa is making national headlines as a center for transformative tech growth, propelled by major investments in education, workforce development, and innovation.

A highlight this month is the $8.2 million tech investment in Tulsa education programs, aimed at integrating advanced technologies and preparing students for evolving job markets through experiential learning and internships (Tulsa sees $8.2M tech boost for education).

This move aligns with the federal push for AI literacy and workforce readiness, as underscored by President Trump's recent executive order establishing public-private partnerships and a national challenge to foster AI skills from K-12 to professional levels (Executive Order advances AI education and training).

Meanwhile, Tulsa's leadership participated in the Powering AI Global Leadership Summit, where the intersection of AI-driven data center growth and energy demand took center stage - an issue with significant economic and infrastructure implications for the region (Oklahoma Summit addresses AI energy needs).

These developments collectively highlight Tulsa's strategic focus on AI, education, and energy - positioning the city as an emerging hub for the tech workforce and innovation economy.

Tulsa Public Schools have taken a leading role in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their classrooms, responding swiftly to President Trump's recent executive order advancing AI education for American youth.

At Carnegie Elementary, the Amira AI reading tool has seen significant results: this year, 87% of students used the platform, with 68% meeting rigorous weekly reading goals - a notable rise from just 48% usage and 32% goal attainment last year.

Designed to allow real-time intervention, Amira is credited by Tulsa education leaders for boosting district-wide literacy outcomes amid ongoing state education challenges.

Reflecting the national policy's core initiatives, Tulsa's implementation focuses on both advancing student AI literacy and equipping teachers with the skills and support needed for new technology integration.

As one district representative noted,

“This is cutting-edge stuff - it's something that across the district we're trying to figure out how to adapt, how to utilize it best.”

Tulsa's example aligns with federal directives to foster early AI exposure, create public-private partnerships, and launch workforce-aligned AI education.

The newly established White House Task Force on AI Education will prioritize professional development, public-private resource sharing, and new AI-focused apprenticeship opportunities to ensure equitable national progress.

For more details on the local rollout and national context, read full coverage from KTUL's report on Tulsa's AI teaching tool and reading success and the EducationNC executive order analysis.

The data below illustrates this year's progress in Tulsa's Amira program:

School Year	% of Students Using Amira	% Meeting Weekly Goal
2023-24	48%	32%
2024-25	87%	68%

Tulsa-based startup WriteSea is riding the wave of generative AI innovation thanks to Meta's open source Llama models, which have now surpassed an impressive 1.2 billion downloads worldwide.

Llama's accessibility and modifiability are lowering barriers for startups by providing advanced AI capabilities without costly licensing or vendor lock-in, a key factor that empowers companies like WriteSea to quickly build and refine AI-powered solutions for the local job market.

At this year's LlamaCon, Meta highlighted the rapid growth of its developer community and the deployment of new models such as Llama 4 Scout and Maverick, which support multimodal inputs and up to 10 million token context windows, outpacing many proprietary competitors.

As Meta's Chief Product Officer Chris Cox noted,

“We have thousands of developers contributing tens of thousands of derivative models being downloaded hundreds of thousands of times a month.”

This open-source strategy cultivates an ecosystem conducive to innovation, particularly evident in WriteSea's ability to adapt AI to personalized career and workforce applications in Tulsa.

The sustained momentum also intensifies competition among top AI platforms, including Alibaba's Qwen3 and OpenAI's GPT series, with Meta's Llama lineup excelling in cost-efficiency and customizability.

The table below summarizes key data from recent developments:

Model	Downloads	Key Features	Main Competitors
Llama (Meta)	1.2 Billion+	Open-source, multimodal, 10M token context window	Qwen3 (Alibaba), GPT (OpenAI)

For deeper insights, see TechCrunch's coverage of Llama's milestone Meta Llama AI hits 1.2 billion downloads, YourStory's highlight of LlamaCon's impact on innovation LlamaCon 2025 reveals Meta's open AI strategy, and a detailed comparison of models at OpenTools' Llama milestone report.

Jericho Energy Ventures (JEV) is accelerating Tulsa's status as a tech and energy hub with its launch of AI-focused Modular Data Centers powered by natural gas.

The company recently appointed Jake Royster, an energy sector veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, as Director of Operations to oversee this initiative from Tulsa, leveraging his expertise in traditional oil and gas alongside leadership in machine learning optimization according to Stock Titan's coverage.

Jericho's first site, backed by a new partnership with AT&T, is deploying scalable fiber connectivity starting at 10Gbps and expanding beyond 100Gbps, addressing the surging demand for rural, natural gas-powered AI computing facilities as detailed in the AT&T connectivity announcement.

CEO Brian Williamson underscored the strategic vision stating,

“Jake's extensive experience in the energy sector and proven leadership in operations and optimization make him the ideal choice to drive our ambitious AI-focused Modular Data Center initiative forward and enhance and expand our traditional energy assets.”

The initiative aligns with national trends highlighted by the Wall Street Journal, as major tech companies seek reliable, energy-efficient data center solutions in rural settings.

Jericho's broader portfolio diversification into hydrogen and zero-emission technologies positions it to meet both current and future energy needs. For more on JEV's stock performance, which has seen a year-to-date return of over 120%, financials, and industry comparisons, visit Morningstar's in-depth analysis.

The table below outlines key performance metrics for Jericho Energy Ventures:

Metric	Value
YTD Return	+121.14%
Market Cap	$35.33 million
Current Price	$0.14

This April, Oklahoma City became a focal point for global tech and energy discussions as industry luminaries gathered at the Powering AI: Global Leadership Summit at the Hamm Institute for American Energy.

The summit brought together over 350 executives, policymakers, top tech companies - including Amazon, Google, and NVIDIA - and key federal agencies to confront the unprecedented energy demands posed by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

Notably, a recent RAND study revealed that AI data centers could require an additional 10 gigawatts (GW) of power globally in 2025, surging to 68 GW by 2027, nearly matching California's total 2022 capacity.

Leaders discussed leveraging the U.S.'s vast natural gas reserves and expanding renewable and nuclear options to meet escalating needs, while also highlighting the urgency of streamlined regulatory reform.

As Dr. Ann Bluntzer Pullin, Executive Director of Hamm Institute, stated,

“AI is advancing faster than our infrastructure. If America wants to lead in AI, it must also lead in energy. This summit is about alignment, getting the right people in the right room to make sure innovation doesn't outpace our ability to sustain it.”

The summit's outcomes aim to shape both national and international strategies, with broader implications echoed at the AI Action Week in Paris and ongoing AI-for-Good initiatives.

For more details on the summit and its impact on America's AI and energy future, read the comprehensive event summary at The Journal Record coverage of the AI Energy Summit in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is rapidly emerging as a data center powerhouse, with the state attracting multi-billion dollar investments from global tech giants and infrastructure firms to meet surging demand for cloud and artificial intelligence workloads.

Notably, Google's new $3 billion campus in Stillwater will deliver almost $900,000 in annual revenue to local public schools and government in its initial phase, underscoring significant community impact and job creation for the region (Google unveils massive Stillwater data center).

At the same time, the Mayes County Solar Portfolio - a 724 MWac clean energy initiative - will power Google's Pryor data center, supporting the company's 24/7 carbon-free energy goals while generating $76 million in tax revenue and 300 construction jobs for Oklahoma (Solar energy to power Google AI data center).

On a national level, the US is seeing record-breaking expansion with 178 new data center projects announced in March 2025 alone, significant institutional investments, and a trend toward hyperscaler-driven development - regional standouts include Stillwater and Pryor in Oklahoma, which leverage renewable energy partnerships and large campuses to support the next generation of AI and digital infrastructure (US data center boom: March 2025 report).

However, the rapid proliferation raises policy questions about energy infrastructure and rate impacts, as highlighted by ongoing legislative debates over utility costs and tax incentives.

The structured data below summarizes key Oklahoma projects fueling the state's data center boom:

Project	Location	Investment	Capacity/Impact
Google Data Center	Stillwater	$3B	Up to 6 buildings; major jobs/revenue for schools
Mayes County Solar Portfolio (for Google)	Pryor	–	372 MWac (part of 724 MWac total); powers Google data center
US National New Projects (March 2025)	Nationwide	–	178 projects; >1,200 MW planned capacity

"Google choosing Stillwater is a testament to the strength of our economy, our workforce, and our commitment to community investment." - Mayor Will Joyce, Stillwater

Oklahoma's colleges and universities are embracing artificial intelligence at an accelerating rate, with a recent Cengage Group survey showing 49% of higher education instructors now incorporating generative AI - a 5% year-over-year increase - into their teaching and administrative workflows.

Faculty are utilizing AI tools to enhance student-facing materials (45%), craft quizzes and assessments (39%), and streamline lesson planning (42%), while students are leveraging these technologies to better understand complex concepts and generate study guides.

The majority of both instructors (92%) and students (83%) recognize the critical importance of AI literacy for academic and career success. However, a perceived skills gap remains, as 65% of students believe they know more about AI than their instructors, and 45% wish for more integration of AI skills in coursework.

To address this, Cengage is launching an AI-powered Insights Dashboard for higher education faculty in Fall 2025 that delivers actionable data and personalized recommendations for faculty to improve engagement and student outcomes.

Reflecting sector-wide optimism, Darren Person, Chief Digital Officer at Cengage Group, notes,

“We see AI as a tool to amplify the human element of education - not replace it. Teaching and learning are personal. These AI enhancements to our faculty dashboard represent progress in developing solutions that strengthen educator-learner relationships.”

For educators and administrators interested in the broader national context, the AI in Education Report by Cengage Group provides detailed insights.

For a summary of GenAI perception and adoption statistics, see the table below.

Metric	Percentage (2025)	Year-over-Year Change
HED Instructors using GenAI	49%	+5%
Student-facing materials (Instructors)	45%	+11%
Quizzes & assessments (Instructors)	39%	+16%
Lesson planning (Instructors)	42%	+18%
Students summarizing concepts with GenAI	67%	N/A

To explore further, check out how higher education generative AI adoption trends are reshaping the academic landscape nationwide.

Tulsa-based AppSwarm has announced a decisive shift toward artificial intelligence, signaling a new era of AI-centric product development and acquisitions. As reported by Yahoo Finance's coverage of AppSwarm's strategic focus on AI, company leadership stresses a commitment to align with evolving technology trends, citing AI's transformative potential across industries.

Highlighting this initiative, AppSwarm recently acquired the AI-powered healthcare tool Health Note Calmi, broadening its ecosystem and strengthening its presence in health tech.

CEO Christopher Bailey stated,

“We are thrilled to integrate Health Note Calmi into our ecosystem,”

underscoring the company's goal to leverage AI for both business growth and practical solutions.

These moves reflect Tulsa's growing reputation as a technology hub, with local startups actively participating in national accelerator programs like the Build in Tulsa Techstars Spring 2025 Cohort, which features pioneering companies across AI and data-driven sectors.

For more background on the acquisition and leadership's perspective, see the detailed account of AppSwarm's AI-powered healthcare acquisition.

To explore the broader entrepreneurial landscape in Tulsa, learn more about the Build in Tulsa Techstars Spring 2025 Cohort.

Federal semiconductor policies are reverberating across Oklahoma's tech sector as the U.S. tightens export restrictions on advanced AI chips - most notably impacting NVIDIA, a major supplier for data-driven industries nationwide.

The U.S. government's ban on sales of the H20 chip to China, effective indefinitely, is expected to cost NVIDIA $5.5 billion and introduces new licensing hurdles for exports, intensifying trade tensions and accelerating China's domestic AI chip development efforts (NVIDIA $5.5B hit as US tightens chip export rules).

Despite these headwinds, NVIDIA is investing up to $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure over the next four years, including supercomputer manufacturing facilities in Texas and advanced chip production in Arizona, moves praised for reinvigorating American manufacturing and job creation (NVIDIA to Manufacture AI Supercomputers in the U.S.).

As the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) enforces new export license requirements - often through swift "is informed" letters - area stakeholders must navigate a shifting compliance landscape, where even indirect shipments via hubs in Southeast Asia are under scrutiny (Key Takeaways from BIS Restrictions on AI Chips).

This regulatory environment raises the stakes for Oklahoma's data center growth and regional supply chains. As noted in recent analysis, the Department's license requirements were enacted because “the [government] indicated that the licence requirement addresses the risk that the covered products may be used in, or diverted to, a supercomputer in China.”

The new measures not only limit access to key Asian markets, but also foreshadow stricter, streamlined controls that could shape the trajectory of American semiconductor leadership for years to come.

Development	Impact
NVIDIA H20 export ban	$5.5B loss, new license for China sales
U.S. AI infrastructure investment	Up to $500B over 4 years
Broader BIS controls	Stricter export oversight, global market volatility

Oklahoma's tech workforce development is rapidly evolving to address rising employer demands across manufacturing, healthcare, and high-tech industries. Driven by sector growth - manufacturing accounts for 11% of the state's GDP and supports nearly 130,000 jobs - new educational partnerships are bridging urgent skill gaps.

Notably, MidAmerica Industrial Park, Northeast Tech, and OSU Institute of Technology recently launched the Electrical and Electronics Technology Program, delivering hands-on training, industry micro-credentials, and stackable certifications through the UpskillOK portal.

Employers benefit as graduates enter high-demand roles career-ready, a necessity as regional job growth in electrical and electronics fields is projected at 1.5 times the national average.

The state is also investing $80.3 million in ARPA-funded initiatives to expand healthcare training - such as Metro Tech's new nursing simulation lab, which doubles class capacity and will produce 100+ new graduates annually (Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Training Commission).

Partnerships with CareerTech and the manufacturing alliance are closing engineering workforce gaps through tailored apprenticeships and micro-credentials, while community collaborations improve workforce accessibility by tackling barriers like childcare and promoting equity in training initiatives (2025 Workforce Development Guide).

As Scott Fry, Director of Workforce Development at MidAmerica, states,

“This partnership is a game-changer for Oklahoma's workforce by aligning education with industry needs, ensuring students receive the training necessary to succeed in high-demand careers.”

The table below highlights key workforce investments recently announced:

Initiative	Funding/Scale	Target Sector
MidAmerica EET Program	Multiple cohorts; UpskillOK micro-credentials	Manufacturing, Energy
Metro Tech Nursing Lab	$2 million ARPA-SLFRF; +100 graduates/year	Healthcare
Higher Ed Critical Workforce Funds (FY26)	$42 million (STEM, healthcare)	STEM, Nursing, Technology

Rural Oklahoma is rapidly emerging as a critical hub for next-generation data center activity, fueled by large-scale investments and the region's unique advantages.

Oklahoma's abundant power resources - producing 65% more electricity than it consumes, much of it renewable wind energy - combined with legislative efforts supporting independent power generation, have attracted frequent inquiries from companies seeking sites outside major cities.

As highlighted by state leaders, “Our resources that we have here in the state in terms of availability of power and our power grid... puts us at a competitive advantage against other states out there”

“Geographically, where we're located in the United States gives us an advantage... the natural resources, natural gas, that [we] take to actually energize some of these data centers really can puts us at a competitive advantage against other states out there.”

(see News On 6's interview with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce).

Massive commitments - such as a $20 billion plan by DAMAC Properties to build AI and cloud data centers in Oklahoma and other heartland states - promise to create thousands of jobs and position rural communities at the forefront of the digital economy ($20 Billion Investment Brings Jobs to Oklahoma).

However, lawmakers in Oklahoma and nationwide are closely monitoring utility rates and infrastructure costs to ensure that the benefits - like new employment and economic growth - are not offset by higher power bills for residents, drawing lessons from similar projects elsewhere (Oklahoman's analysis of AI data centers and energy demands).

As data centers proliferate in rural Oklahoma, the state is set to reap both economic and workforce development gains while navigating the evolving challenges of tech-driven energy consumption.

Tulsa's emergence as a hub for AI, education, and economic growth is evident as global trends and federal policies converge locally. The new 2025 National AI R&D Strategic Plan emphasizes U.S. leadership, public-sector investment in innovation, and support for foundational AI research that fuels regional tech ecosystems.

Locally, the Powering AI Global Leadership Summit spotlighted the intersection of AI expansion and energy infrastructure, warning that global AI data center demand could soar to 68 gigawatts by 2027 - comparable to California's total power use in 2022.

As Oklahoma hosts industry giants and policymakers, leaders cite abundant natural gas and urgent regulatory reform as keys to ensuring the region captures a significant share of new data center and AI investment (AI Energy Summit highlights in Oklahoma).

Private-sector momentum is equally strong: notable AI infrastructure provider Crusoe closed a $600 million Series D round at a $2.8 billion valuation, expanded its Tulsa operations, and gained recognition on the 2025 Forbes AI 50 list.

In the words of Crusoe's CEO Chase Lochmiller,

“We believe a new approach is needed to power the AI revolution. To reduce complexity, accelerate time-to-value, and support the most demanding AI solutions, customers need a vertically integrated approach.”

Massive venture funding continues to flow into U.S. AI startups, with Q1 2025 seeing $59.6 billion invested in AI alone and global late-stage tech funding up 30% quarter-over-quarter (Q1 2025 global technology funding report).

For Tulsans eager to break into AI and tech careers, upskilling opportunities abound - from Nucamp CEO Ludo Fourrage's coding and cybersecurity bootcamps to scholarships targeting diverse backgrounds.

Tulsa's tech scene is primed for inclusive innovation and transformative economic opportunity.