This Month's Latest Tech News in Tyler, TX - Thursday July 31st 2025 Edition

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly shaping Tyler and East Texas, with educational institutions and the local community embracing its transformative potential.

Texas A&M University-Commerce is advancing this trend by integrating AI across teaching and service delivery through its Artificial Intelligence Initiative at Texas A&M University-Commerce, aiming to boost student success and retention while introducing faculty to essential AI tools.

Additionally, the incoming Texas A&M System Chancellor has emphasized strategic goals to further embed AI in East Texas schools, reflecting a statewide commitment to AI-driven education enhancements, as detailed in the KLTV report on AI in education.

The region also aligns with broader trends seen at the AI Expo 2025, which highlighted emerging AI technologies, workforce development, and national security, underscoring AI's expanding role in both local and national contexts, according to the AI Expo 2025 coverage.

For those in Tyler looking to gain practical AI skills for the evolving workplace, Nucamp offers tailored programs such as the 15-week AI Essentials for Work bootcamp, designed to teach effective AI tool use and prompt writing without requiring a technical background, supporting the community's growth in AI proficiency.

East Texas A&M University has recently launched a cutting-edge Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (M.S. in AI) program designed to prepare students for the evolving demands of the AI-driven economy.

This STEM-designated, two-year program offers 34–37 credit hours with both thesis and non-thesis options, and is available through hybrid online and face-to-face formats, accommodating both working professionals and full-time students.

Students can specialize in one of four emphasis areas: Computer Science, Computational Linguistics, Mathematics, or Psychology, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of AI. The curriculum covers foundational topics such as machine learning, AI ethics, data mining, and computer vision, alongside industry-relevant skills.

Dr. Christian Hempelmann highlights that AI

“will enhance communication in nearly every job,”

while Dr. Omar El Ariss notes that the program welcomes students from all academic backgrounds, emphasizing AI's broad applicability - even in fields like agriculture.

The program's practical focus addresses growing industry needs, debunking myths that AI displaces workers by instead cultivating graduates capable of leveraging AI to solve real-world challenges across sectors such as healthcare, finance, education, and transportation.

Tuition for out-of-state students is approximately $41,344, with available scholarships for eligible candidates. For further details, prospective students can visit East Texas A&M University's official M.S. in Artificial Intelligence program page, explore the graduate catalog for course specifics, or read the comprehensive announcement by Patrick C. Harrison III on East Texas A&M University's News Site.

Restb.ai, a leader in AI-powered computer vision technology for real estate, has expanded its innovative solutions to include the Tyler-area through the integration with the Longview Area Association of REALTORS® (LAAR), enhancing property listing accuracy and streamlining compliance for agents in East Texas.

This expansion is part of a broader rollout adding 10 new Multiple Listing Services (MLSs), increasing the AI platform's reach to over 800,000 agents and brokers across North America, including notable MLSs such as Mid-America Regional Information Systems and MIBOR Broker Listing Cooperative®.

Restb.ai's advanced computer vision automates image tagging and generates searchable, compliant listings, reducing manual tasks and allowing agents to focus on client service.

The Longview MLS, known for professionalism and advocacy, benefits from cutting-edge AI tools alongside other regional and national MLS adopters. As Dominik Pogorzelski, Restb.ai's President of MLS, highlights,

“MLSs adopting AI aren't just improving efficiency. They're setting the foundation to power future real estate technology.”

Looking ahead, MLS PIN in New England will integrate Restb.ai's generative AI features into its Pinergy platform in 2025, introducing listing auto-population and AI-generated marketing remarks to further accelerate workflow.

With Restb.ai processing more than one million property photos daily, its scalable tech transforms real estate imagery into actionable insights that enhance the home search experience nationwide.

Learn more about Restb.ai's MLS partnerships and solutions at Restb.ai MLS Software Solutions, the full press release on their April 2025 expansion announcement, and details on upcoming features in the GlobeNewswire report.

Sam's Club is revolutionizing the shopping experience in Tyler, TX, by deploying its AI-driven Scan & Go checkout system, eliminating traditional checkout lanes at the local store and nationwide.

Customers use the Sam's Club app to scan items as they shop, pay directly through the app, and pass through AI-powered exit archways equipped with cameras that verify purchases in seconds, removing the need for receipt checks.

This innovation, launched initially in 2024 and now expanding to all 600 stores by year-end, aims to create a seamless, faster shopping experience that appeals especially to younger shoppers; 75% of members already use Scan & Go, boasting a Net Promoter Score above 90.

Sam's Club CEO Chris Nicholas emphasizes this transformation as one of the fastest, most scalable in retail, focusing on member experience and operational efficiency without layoffs, as associates shift toward customer assistance roles.

Industry data highlights that digital members shop three times more frequently and across twice as many categories, with Scan & Go reducing exit times by about 23%.

Despite some concerns from older customers regarding technology use and privacy, the Tyler location's deployment represents a significant tech-forward leap within East Texas.

For more details on the innovative checkout technology and Sam's Club's expansion plans, see the New Sam's Club shopping experience rollout in East Texas, the official Sam's Club Scan & Go checkout page, and industry analysis in Sam's Club Scan & Go: The Checkout Revolution Driving Grocery's Next Digital Growth Wave for a comprehensive overview.

The Smith County Sheriff's Office has issued an urgent warning to Tyler residents about a surge in sophisticated AI-generated voice scams impersonating local law enforcement officials.

Scammers are using AI technology to clone the voices of real deputies, notably exploiting the name "Sgt. Terry Brunk" - a legitimate deputy constable who is not authorizing these calls - to deceive victims by discussing fake legal matters and urging them to provide personal information.

These calls frequently spoof legitimate phone numbers, making detection difficult, and attempts to return call numbers given by scammers often lead to disconnected lines, signaling phishing tactics.

Local authorities emphasize that the sheriff's office will never request payment over the phone or call about missed jury duty, and residents should hang up immediately upon receiving such calls.

Community members are encouraged to report suspected scams to the sheriff's office at 903-566-6600. This warning aligns with national concerns over increasing AI voice phishing and smishing campaigns targeting individuals via realistic deepfake audio, as highlighted in reports by CBS19 local news report on Smith County voice scams and KNUE's East Texas community scam alerts.

Experts urge vigilance, advising verification of calls through independent contacts and caution against sharing sensitive information or making payments over unsolicited calls, with guidance available from the FBI's official cyber alert on AI-generated scam calls.

Awareness and prompt reporting remain key defenses against these increasingly realistic and damaging AI-enabled fraud schemes.

On June 22, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) into law, marking Texas as the second state after Colorado to implement comprehensive AI regulation.

Effective January 1, 2026, TRAIGA establishes clear boundaries for AI use, particularly by government entities, prohibiting AI systems designed to manipulate human behavior toward self-harm, criminal acts, or discrimination based on protected characteristics.

The law also restricts government use of AI for biometric identification without consent and bans "social scoring" practices that could result in unfair treatment.

A notable feature is the creation of the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council, a seven-member advisory body tasked with overseeing AI ethics, public safety, and regulatory compliance, alongside a regulatory sandbox allowing businesses to test AI innovations under monitored conditions without full regulatory burdens.

Enforcement authority rests exclusively with the Texas Attorney General, who can impose civil penalties ranging from $10,000 for curable offenses up to $200,000 for incurable violations, with a 60-day cure period provided before penalties apply.

Although TRAIGA focuses primarily on governmental AI applications, private-sector developers and deployers conducting business in Texas are also subject to key prohibitions, emphasizing ethical AI deployment while maintaining an innovation-friendly environment.

For healthcare, additional transparency requirements mandate disclosing AI use to patients, fostering informed consent and trust. The Act refines Texas's biometric privacy laws, clarifying consent around the use of publicly available images and biometric data, with exemptions for AI training and security purposes.

Given ongoing federal debates about AI regulation, including a proposed moratorium on state AI laws, Texas's decisive legislative action positions it at the forefront of AI governance, balancing consumer protection with technological advancement.

For details on TRAIGA's provisions and enforcement, see the WilmerHale Privacy and Cybersecurity Law Blog on Texas AI Law, Littler's analysis of Texas AI legislation, and Skadden's report on the Texas AI regulatory framework.

In a thought-provoking editorial titled “Who you gunna' trust?”, Tyler-based columnist Jim Powers explores the profound challenge AI poses to human judgment and the concept of truth.

Powers warns that as society increasingly leans on AI to distinguish fact from fiction, our innate “human truth instinct” diminishes, risking a future where discernment is outsourced to machines that “give you a consensus” rather than definitive truth.

This dependency, he argues, undermines critical thinking and accountability, especially as machine-generated content - such as deepfakes, synthetic news, and AI-written editorials - becomes ubiquitous and harder to verify independently.

While AI tools and watermarking efforts by companies like OpenAI are emerging to combat misinformation, Powers emphasizes the urgent need for regulation of generative content, mandatory labeling for political advertising, and public access to fact-checking AI to protect democratic processes before more election cycles are influenced by unchecked AI narratives.

Complementing Powers' concerns, recent research from the Wharton School highlights that trust in AI depends more on the accuracy of its outcomes over time than on understanding its decision-making process, underscoring the complexity of fostering healthy reliance on AI in society.

Together, these perspectives call for a critical examination of AI's growing role in shaping public trust and truth in Tyler and beyond.

Collin County is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse of AI-driven economic growth, projected to contribute 10% of Texas' total GDP and employ 7% of the state's workforce by 2050, according to a comprehensive study by the Texas Association of Business (TAB) and Prestige Economics.

This growth will catapult the county's GDP beyond Missouri's 2024 economic output and triple that of Oklahoma, underscoring its pivotal role in both state and national tech ecosystems.

The county's expansion is fueled by a booming population, a skilled labor pool, and an influx of multi-billion-dollar investments in data centers and semiconductor manufacturing, including major facilities from Nvidia, Texas Instruments, and Lambda Inc.

The surge in AI adoption among Texas businesses - from 20% in 2024 to 36% in 2025 - is accelerating productivity and innovation across industries, supported by local initiatives like workforce development and infrastructure enhancements.

Glenn Hamer, CEO of TAB, emphasizes that technology and AI act as

“force multipliers”

for economic momentum, while Jason Schenker of Prestige Economics highlights how AI and automation

“reshape the way work is done,”

driving long-term economic transformation.

Collin County's strategic location, corporate presence, and pro-business climate solidify its status as a leading hub for AI innovation and job creation in the U.S. For detailed insights, see the full report at the Texas Association of Business AI economic growth report, the in-depth analysis by the Dallas Morning News on Collin County tech growth, and the Context Corner economic forecast on Collin County's growth.

Rad AI continues to solidify its leadership in healthcare AI innovation, recently closing a $68 million Series C funding round that includes an additional $8 million strategic investment from four leading U.S. health systems: Advocate Health, Memorial Hermann Health System, Corewell Health, and Atlantic Health System.

These partnerships aim to accelerate the deployment of Rad AI's cutting-edge generative AI tools, such as Rad AI Impressions, which automates radiology report impressions and saves radiologists over an hour per shift, and Rad AI Continuity, which significantly boosts patient follow-up exam rates from 30% to over 75%.

Recognized on the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list and ranked 19th on the 2024 Deloitte Fast 500, Rad AI's AI-driven solutions enhance workflow efficiency, reduce radiologist burnout, and improve patient care quality across over 50% of U.S. health systems.

The company has also expanded its leadership with the appointment of Demetri Giannikopoulos as Chief Growth Officer to scale AI adoption further. In the words of CEO Doktor Gurson,

“It's an honor to collaborate with these leading health systems to expand that impact even further, building solutions that improve care for millions of patients.”

For a detailed look at Rad AI's recent milestones and strategic partnerships, visit their CNBC Disruptor 50 announcement and the official press release on strategic investments.

Additional insights on Rad AI's leadership growth can be found in their latest executive appointment news.

The AI+ Expo 2025, held June 2-4 in Washington, D.C., brought together over 15,000 leaders from government, academia, and industry to explore AI's critical role in innovation, national security, and workforce development.

This immersive event featured sessions, panels, and debates focused on emerging AI technologies shaping global competitiveness and security challenges. Attendees engaged with cutting-edge AI demonstrations and formed strategic partnerships to accelerate technology leadership, especially in sectors like defense, cybersecurity, and economic growth.

Complementing this, the AI & Big Data Expo North America 2025 in Silicon Valley showcased enterprise AI applications with keynote speeches by industry pioneers such as Aishwarya Srinivasan of Fireworks AI and Naresh Dulam from JPMorgan Chase, emphasizing responsible AI deployment and infrastructure evolution.

The concurrent Artificial Intelligence Expo at Oak Ridge National Laboratory highlighted scientific breakthroughs in AI-driven materials science, modeling, and cybersecurity with workshops and a mini hackathon utilizing state-of-the-art models like OpenAI's o1.

These converging events underscore AI's expanding integration into national agendas and workforce transformation efforts. For more details, explore the official AI+ Expo website, key insights from the AI & Big Data Expo 2025 speakers lineup, and the innovative agenda at PNNL's AI Expo 25.

Amazon's recent upgrade to its Alexa devices has sparked significant privacy concerns among users, primarily due to the removal of the "Do not send voice recordings" option starting March 28, 2025.

This change means all voice interactions are now automatically uploaded and processed in Amazon's cloud, with no opt-out available, even for those who previously preferred local processing.

While this shift enables advanced AI features in the forthcoming Alexa+ subscription service - including enhanced personalization and generative AI capabilities - it also disables the voice ID feature when users attempt to limit data storage.

Despite Amazon's assurances of stringent cloud security, past incidents such as unauthorized employee access to recordings and fines related to privacy violations have fueled skepticism.

Users have reported that Alexa occasionally records ambient sounds like television noise or household appliances, raising further apprehension about unintended data collection.

Early user feedback on Alexa+ remains mixed, with some praising improved conversational abilities while others criticize slow responses and errors. The transition reflects broader industry trends of moving AI processing to powerful cloud infrastructures but highlights ongoing tensions between technological advancement and user privacy.

For users seeking alternatives, devices like Apple HomePod offer some local processing, and open-source assistants like Home Assistant provide more privacy-centric options.

Further insights can be found in the detailed analysis at WDBJ7's coverage on Alexa privacy concerns, the Technowize report on the Echo privacy update, and a critical perspective from Cory Doctorow's analysis of Amazon's privacy policy.

Tyler, TX stands at the forefront of a rapidly evolving AI and technology landscape marked by significant advancements and thoughtful governance. With East Texas A&M University launching its innovative M.S. in Artificial Intelligence program and local businesses like Sam's Club adopting AI-driven checkout systems, Tyler is embracing AI's transformative potential across education, retail, and public services.

However, challenges persist, including the rise of AI-powered scams and ongoing concerns about privacy and ethical AI use, as highlighted by Texas's landmark Artificial Intelligence Governance Act.

Economic forecasts remain positive, with Tyler benefiting from Texas's overall AI adoption surge - from 20% to 36% among businesses in just over a year - and Collin County's remarkable growth exemplifying regional tech momentum.

Events like the AI+ Expo 2025 showcase how AI innovation is linked tightly to national security and workforce development debates. Meanwhile, companies such as Tyler Technologies continue to drive public sector efficiency through cutting-edge software solutions.

For individuals eager to join this vibrant tech ecosystem, Nucamp offers practical learning pathways - from the 15-week AI Essentials for Work bootcamp designed to enhance productivity with AI tools (learn more about the AI Essentials for Work bootcamp) to the intensive Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur bootcamp aimed at launching AI startups worldwide (details on the Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur bootcamp).

As Tyler navigates balancing automation benefits with ethical considerations, investment in education, transparent policies, and a skilled workforce remain crucial to ensuring AI amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.

For further insight into Tyler's AI landscape and educational opportunities, visit the Nucamp Bootcamp blog and explore the Texas Association of Business report on AI adoption.