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

April 2025 marks a turning point for Waco's tech landscape as Baylor University and McLennan Community College, in partnership with General Assembly, unveiled targeted tech training programs to address the region's persistent skills gap.

The launch features a 7-week Python Programming course (offering PCEP™ certification) and a 12-week IT Basics short course designed to prepare students for CompTIA A+ credentials, both aimed at boosting Texas' workforce competitiveness (Baylor and MCC's new tech skills partnership).

As Rafael Castenada of General Assembly noted,

“We're facing a skills crisis in the U.S., and it's critical that universities and colleges play a role in creating alternative pathways to obtain those skills.”

These initiatives align with a broader national movement where community colleges and employers are collaborating to improve career pathways and provide critical upskilling (research on employer-community college partnerships).

Meanwhile, the Innovation Hub at Research Park continues to drive regional entrepreneurship and job creation through mentorship, events, and startup accelerators (Texas Tech's Innovation Hub), reinforcing Central Texas's position at the forefront of workforce evolution.

Meta has launched its highly anticipated standalone AI Assistant App, leveraging the advanced Llama 4 large language model to deliver a deeply personalized, voice-first experience across devices.

The app brings improved conversational abilities and intuitive context memory - remembering user preferences such as travel goals or hobby interests - with seamless integration across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Users can access a dynamic Discover feed to explore and remix community AI prompts and enjoy features like image generation and editing through voice or text interaction.

Meta's new offering directly rivals leading AI assistants from OpenAI and Google, aiming to redefine consumer-facing AI through smart device and platform unification.

As Mark Zuckerberg stated,

“the beginning of what's going to be a long journey.”

To highlight key innovations, here's a summary:

Feature	Description
Personalization	Context-aware responses using user preferences and activity
Voice-first interaction	Natural conversation with full-duplex, tap-to-talk, and always-on voice
Cross-device sync	Continue conversations between app, web, and Meta smart glasses
Discover feed	Explore, share, and remix AI community prompts
AI model	Llama 4, Meta's latest and most innovative language model

With app downloads now available for iOS and Android users worldwide, Meta is striving to establish its assistant as a continuous digital companion.

This launch, made public during the inaugural LlamaCon event, signals Meta's intent to stay competitive in the fast-moving AI assistant space, as covered in depth by AiNews's review of Meta's AI vision and CNN's report on Llama 4 integration and strategic goals.

As the tech industry navigates sweeping changes in 2025, Waco is not immune to the national wave of layoffs fueled by advances in artificial intelligence. According to a recent General Assembly report on anticipated tech layoffs in 2025, 54% of tech hiring managers anticipate layoffs over the next year, with positions most vulnerable being those replaceable by AI or whose skillsets have become outdated.

Yet there's a silver lining for Waco: General Assembly, in partnership with Baylor University and McLennan Community College, has launched new upskilling programs in cybersecurity and Python to close the skills gap and prepare local talent for growth sectors.

As Jeremy Vickers of Baylor notes,

"Digital and cyber-related skills are necessary for the next generation workforce to effectively compete for jobs in the marketplace, and we are excited to offer these programs jointly in the greater Waco community. We see cybersecurity as a critical field for American competitiveness and for our community's resilience."

Local initiatives echo national trends, as 76% of tech leaders report an intent to reskill workers whose roles are at risk, and 93% are actively investing in upskilling strategies.

For a detailed look at how automation and layoffs are impacting the industry, see this regularly updated comprehensive list of 2025 tech layoffs from TechCrunch.

The table below highlights technical skills most prized by hiring managers:

Priority Technical Skill	Managers Ranking as #1
AI Development	24%
Cybersecurity	20%
Data Analysis	14%

With continued collaboration and targeted training, Waco is positioned not just to weather the layoff storm, but to grow as a regional tech hub.

Learn more about these local upskilling opportunities and their community impact at Baylor's news release on tech training programs in Waco.

Central Texas is quickly establishing itself as a powerhouse for industrial and defense technology innovation with the official launch of the Endless Frontiers Institute in Austin and Waco.

This new institute brings together leaders from defense tech, academia, venture capital, and public policy - including entities like the University of Texas, Rice, Texas A&M, and Baylor University - to safeguard the U.S. technological edge, especially in artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.

Supported by a $1.7 million grant from Baylor University, the initiative aims to address global competition, emphasizing collaboration and the recognition of technological advancements through the Inman Prize for American Innovation.

According to a recent report on Texas defense technology innovation, this move also reinforces Austin's status as a “spiritual center” for innovation.

The Defense Innovation Unit's new initiatives, such as the Blue Manufacturing program, further highlight the region's role by scaling advanced manufacturing and ensuring security in the defense supply chain, with a focus on vetting U.S.-based small manufacturers for Department of Defense needs, including 3D printing and digital engineering.

As explained in a deep dive article by IDGA on the Blue Manufacturing program, DIU aims to “build the defense industrial base in a new way and do it right now,” ensuring resilience against adversary-supplied resources.

University partnerships across Texas bolster these efforts, with UT Austin's Year of AI showcasing interdisciplinary research and talent pipelines in AI and robotics, and UTRGV receiving a $2.8 million NSF grant to expand AI for infrastructure monitoring and beyond.

Together, these efforts are positioning Central Texas at the leading edge of U.S. defense tech and industrial innovation.

Waco is making strides in sustainability as Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB) extends its AI-enabled SmartSort recycling initiative, recently launched at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, across Central Texas.

These state-of-the-art SmartSort recycling bins, developed in partnership with SmartSort Technologies, use camera systems and artificial intelligence to scan items and guide users on proper recycling, compost, or landfill sorting, all displayed instantly on a digital screen.

Importantly, these bins also aggregate data on recycling quantities and the ultimate destination of materials, increasing transparency and accountability in waste management.

As Robert Horton, DFW's Vice President of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, put it,

“The introduction of AI-powered recycling bins enhances the traveler experience and reinforces our efforts to create a more sustainable airport through innovation and technology.”

The success of this program follows CCSWB's earlier SmartSort rollout at major Texas venues, supporting long-term community recycling goals.

Complementing these sustainability efforts is the recent opening of a 120,000-square-foot distribution center in Waco, further cementing CCSWB's investment in the region.

For a comprehensive look at how SmartSort technology and CCSWB's local initiatives are improving environmental outcomes, visit this detailed SmartSort feature and partnership overview.

Here's how the SmartSort initiative stands out:

Location	Number of Smart Bins	Features
DFW Terminals D & E	Dual-stream (recycling & waste)	Instant feedback, AI guidance
DFW HQ / Dept. Public Safety	Triple-stream (recycling, waste, compost)	Data tracking, transparency

The tech industry is undergoing a seismic shift as the focus of federal policymakers pivots from reducing AI's algorithmic bias to curbing so-called “woke AI” - a move with profound implications for fairness and diversity in technology.

Congressional subpoenas have recently targeted Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and others, scrutinizing efforts to advance equity and address harmful outputs in AI systems.

This political turn has prompted agencies like the U.S. Commerce Department to remove references to AI fairness and DEI, shifting priorities toward minimizing ideological bias in pursuit of “economic competitiveness” (Tech Industry Tried Reducing AI's Pervasive Bias; Now Trump Wants to End Its 'Woke AI' Efforts).

The rollback isn't just theoretical - companies such as Target have responded by scaling back internal diversity initiatives, coinciding with declining foot traffic and public backlash.

The following table summarizes key challenges facing inclusive AI development:

Challenge	Description
Bias in AI Vision	AI historically struggles with diverse skin tones and misidentifies minorities.
Reduced Funding	Political pushback threatens ongoing support for equity-focused AI research.
Technical Overcorrection	Efforts to address bias sometimes result in ahistorical, inaccurate outputs.

“Fundamentally, to say that AI systems are ideologically biased is to say that you identify, recognize and are concerned about the problem of algorithmic bias.” - Alondra Nelson

As companies and nonprofits recalibrate or abandon DEI programs under mounting scrutiny (DEI: Which Companies Have Rolled Back Their Commitments?), experts warn that a retreat from fairness in AI could entrench existing biases and limit opportunities for underrepresented groups.

For more on AI's political and industry currents, see this extensive report (Tech Industry Tried Reducing AI's Pervasive Bias. Now Trump Wants to End Its 'Woke AI' Efforts).

Microsoft has reported exceptional Q1 2025 earnings, driven overwhelmingly by its cloud computing and AI initiatives, and demonstrating resilience amid broader economic uncertainty.

The company saw total revenue climb 13% year-over-year to $70.07 billion, surpassing analyst forecasts, while net income rose 18% to $25.82 billion, bolstered by a whopping 20% year-over-year growth in Microsoft Cloud revenue to $42.4 billion and a 21% surge in the Intelligent Cloud segment, including Azure.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is gaining strong enterprise traction, with its customer base up 55% quarter-over-quarter and daily active users more than doubling. CEO Satya Nadella affirmed in the earnings call,

“Cloud and AI are the essential inputs for every business to expand output, reduce costs, and accelerate growth.”

Microsoft's continued heavy investments in AI infrastructure are reflected in projected $80 billion fiscal year capital expenditures.

Key financial and segment data are captured below for a clear snapshot of Microsoft's momentum:

Metric	Q1 FY25	YoY Change
Total Revenue	$70.07B	+13%
Net Income	$25.82B	+18%
Microsoft Cloud Revenue	$42.4B	+20%
Intelligent Cloud Revenue	$26.75B	+21%

For a detailed overview of Microsoft's earnings and strategy, see Microsoft Q1 2025 Earnings: Cloud and AI Drive Exceptional Growth, summary analysis at Microsoft Stock Pops as Cloud and AI Strength Drives Earnings Growth, and the full investor release at Microsoft Corporation Earnings Release FY25 Q1.

This April, the job market continues its AI-fueled transformation, with demand for artificial intelligence skills outpacing nearly every other technology discipline.

The 2025 Stanford AI Index Report reveals that U.S. job postings calling for AI expertise jumped to 1.8% - up from 1.4% in 2023 - and job listings specifically seeking generative AI skills have increased nearly fourfold as organizations scramble for talent in areas such as natural language processing and machine learning frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow (Stanford's AI Jobs Index 2025).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics underscores that software development roles are projected for robust growth - up 17.9% over the next decade - as AI not only augments coding and documentation but also creates a robust pipeline for related occupations such as database administrators and architects, all amid moderate projected growth in legal and financial analysis roles where technology's impact is increasing but not necessarily replacing jobs outright (BLS AI Employment Projections 2025–2033).

Salaries reflect the red-hot market: AI engineers in the U.S. now earn on average $206,000 - a $50,000 jump in just a year - while specialized skills in cloud platforms and large language models dominate employer requirements.

Entry-level opportunities remain limited (only 2.5% of postings), pushing those seeking to break in to build strong portfolios and continuously upskill. As the market grows, hands-on skills, real-world projects, and a portfolio-first approach are overtaking formal degree requirements as companies increasingly hire candidates from nontraditional backgrounds, such as coding bootcamps.

The table below summarizes growth projections in select tech roles:

Occupation	2023 Employment (thousands)	2033 Employment (thousands)	Percent Change (%)
Software Developers	1,692.1	1,995.7	17.9
Database Administrators	80.5	87.1	8.2
Database Architects	61.4	68.0	10.8

For a deep dive into required technical skills, salary trends, and employer priorities, explore the comprehensive AI Engineer Job Outlook 2025 analysis.

Texas is taking decisive steps to address AI-driven talent gaps, particularly in Waco, where Baylor University and McLennan Community College (MCC) have partnered with General Assembly to launch targeted tech training programs.

This collaboration aims to close the cybersecurity workforce shortage and create accessible pathways for students and career changers to gain in-demand skills through short courses in Python programming and IT fundamentals, both leading to industry-recognized certifications.

As Dr. Jeremy Vickers of Baylor University emphasized,

“Digital and cyber-related skills are necessary for the next generation workforce to effectively compete for jobs in the marketplace, and we are excited to offer these programs jointly in the greater Waco community. We see cybersecurity as a critical field for American competitiveness and for our community's resilience.”

These efforts arrive as Texas' labor market continues robust growth, adding 187,700 jobs over the past year, with Waco's unemployment rate steady at 3.9%, as detailed in the Texas Workforce Commission's labor market report.

To further boost Texas' tech workforce, General Assembly recently launched its AI Academy, offering flexible, role-specific upskilling options to meet the urgent demand for enterprise AI proficiency.

A simple overview of the Waco tech course offerings is provided below:

Course	Duration	Certification	Career Focus
Python Programming	7 weeks	PCEP™	Software Engineering
IT Basics	12 weeks	CompTIA A+	IT Support/Admin

Learn about Waco's initiatives to close the tech skills gap and empower its workforce in the full announcement from Baylor University.

Tech industry turbulence reached new heights in 2025, with over 51,000 tech jobs slashed by May 1, including a staggering 23,486 layoffs in April alone - a trend driven by cost-cutting, realignment towards AI, and ongoing economic uncertainty.

While giants like Intel, Meta, and Google accounted for thousands of job cuts, startups also saw disproportionate reductions as venture capital funding dried up and investor focus shifted to operational efficiency and profitability TechCrunch's comprehensive tech layoff tracker.

The impact runs deep: employee sentiment data shows nearly half (47%) of surveyed tech professionals expect AI to replace 30% of their daily work in the next year, yet almost half also want more formal AI training - underscoring a rapidly widening skills gap McKinsey's AI in the Workplace, 2025.

As highlighted by the World Economic Forum, “jobs and required skills are transforming rapidly,” and while business leaders see AI as a catalyst for growth, not enough attention has been placed on retraining programs or upskilling - especially for people skills and broader AI literacy WEF: Now is the time for strategic upskilling.

Below is a snapshot of recent layoffs illustrating the pressure across the sector:

Month	Employees Laid Off
April 2025	23,400+
March 2025	8,834
February 2025	16,234
January 2025	2,403

“Jobs and required skills are transforming rapidly. Individuals and businesses are beginning to upskill, but it may not be happening fast enough.”

Without urgent action on retraining and strategic skills investment, the tech sector risks a deepening mismatch between opportunity and talent, placing both companies and workers in a precarious position as AI adoption accelerates.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated across sectors, debates over AI fairness and bias are intensifying alongside rapidly changing legislation and political shifts.

States like Colorado, New York, and Illinois are leading efforts to regulate algorithmic discrimination, with comprehensive bills mandating audits, impact assessments, and consumer notifications for high-risk AI systems in employment, healthcare, and education.

However, the regulatory landscape is fragmented, with over 550 bills introduced across 45 states, each taking varied approaches to definitions, exemptions, and enforcement mechanisms - a trend mapped in The Battle to Regulate AI Discrimination.

Colorado's landmark SB205, for example, requires both AI developers and deployers to proactively manage and disclose discrimination risks, but small business exemptions and compliance timelines remain under active review.

At the federal level, political changes are affecting AI governance: the Trump administration rolled back the “disparate impact” legal theory, making unintentional AI bias claims harder to pursue, and weakened enforcement capacity for civil rights in tech, as discussed in Trump's Disparate Impact Blow Makes AI Bias Claims Even Tougher.

In education, bipartisan state guidance on K-12 AI use emphasizes benefits and oversight but often omits protections against surveillance and deepfakes, leading experts to warn that

“the rise of AI surveillance in public education is one of the most urgent civil and human rights challenges,”

a risk highlighted by the Center on Privacy and Technology.

As the patchwork of laws expands, the core challenge remains: balancing consumer protection and civil rights with the need for scalable, innovative AI deployment - an equilibrium still under construction nationwide.

As Waco's technology ecosystem matures, the region finds itself at a crossroads - balancing rapid tech advancement with the urgent demand for a skilled workforce.

Local institutions such as Baylor University and McLennan Community College have responded by launching new General Assembly training programs, including a 7-week Python Programming course and a 12-week IT Basics bootcamp, both designed to close the region's persistent tech skills gap and build career pathways in software engineering and IT support (Baylor University and McLennan Community College's technology skills announcement).

These initiatives dovetail with broader statewide efforts aimed at fostering industry innovation in fields like semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and intelligent infrastructure, supporting over 900,000 manufacturing jobs and contributing $250 billion annually to Texas's GDP (Texas Workforce Development and Industry Innovation Overview).

Federal policy is also shifting, as evidenced by a recent executive order prioritizing AI education and apprenticeships in K-12 and higher education, emphasizing workforce development through public-private partnerships (Presidential Executive Order Supporting AI Education and Workforce Development).

As echoed by Rafael Castenada of General Assembly,

“We're facing a skills crisis in the U.S., and it's critical that universities and colleges play a role in creating alternative pathways to obtain those skills.”

Waco's challenge - and opportunity - lies in leveraging these collaborations and policy shifts to create a resilient, future-ready workforce, ensuring that both students and current workers thrive in Texas's evolving tech landscape.