This Month's Latest Tech News in Wichita, KS - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Wichita's tech landscape in May 2025 is defined by a thoughtful embrace of artificial intelligence in education, guided by ongoing community conversations about technology's benefits and responsibilities.

Local educators are exploring how to responsibly integrate AI to enhance student engagement and personalize learning, supported by new district technology plans that prioritize equitable access and future-ready digital skills.

Wichita Public Schools has recently examined and updated its AI policies in Wichita Public Schools, emphasizing the need for safe, ethical use in the classroom.

As teachers undergo specialized training to effectively use AI tools, the district's 2024-26 Technology Plan for Wichita Public Schools highlights student-centered approaches, digital citizenship, and robust professional development.

Recent reports showcase teachers' hands-on experiences learning to deploy AI for classroom instruction and curriculum enhancement demonstrating real-world impact of AI in Wichita classrooms.

This month's developments underscore Wichita's role as a model for bridging technology, education, and ethics - all while preparing the next generation for a rapidly changing digital society.

Wichita Public Schools (WPS) are setting a new standard for responsible AI integration in K-12 education, combining forward-thinking policy with hands-on educator training and equitable technology access.

Through the district's comprehensive 2024-26 Technology Plan, WPS is equipping nearly 47,000 students and staff in 88 schools with AI-enhanced tools - including Microsoft Copilot, Canva Magic Media, and Adobe Express - to support lesson planning, creative engagement, and personalized learning.

Notably, WPS is part of the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative, which, nationally, has distributed connected devices and training to 8.5 million students and is adding 34 schools for the 2025-2026 year.

With professional development delivered via a "train the trainer" model and a focus on AI literacy and safe use, educators are preparing students to thrive in a digital-first economy while carefully setting guardrails to ensure ethical responsible use - especially as policies evolve to allow students limited, supervised AI access.

As AI specialist Katelyn Schoenhofer explained, “We're laying that foundation so that as we build those AI digital literacy skills, then we can move into data analytics.”

The collaborative, equity-centered approach at WPS reflects a broader national movement, as shown in AI integration case studies across U.S. districts.

Wichita educators emphasize AI's power to overcome resource limitations, personalize learning, and foster student creativity - while highlighting the ongoing need to teach both the strengths and limitations of these emerging technologies.

This month, Kansas lawmakers approved a landmark $10 million investment to fund AI-powered gun detection technology in K-12 schools, leveraging software developed by ZeroEyes - a Pennsylvania company founded by military veterans and currently the only provider meeting the state's strict legislative criteria for grants.

The technology integrates with existing school security cameras to recognize visible firearms and, within seconds, notifies both a 24/7 staffed operations center and local authorities, offering the promise of early intervention in active shooter scenarios.

Backers, including local educators and lawmakers, hail the move as proactive progress in school safety -

“Generally in government, we're usually behind in technology. This is us trying to be proactive and thinking forward,”

said Rep.

Kristey Williams - but critics argue the grant design favors one vendor and diverts funds from proven violence prevention strategies such as mental health support and basic security improvements.

School safety experts have also raised alarms about the frequency and reporting of false positives, privacy implications, and whether the deployment of such technology justifies the cost.

Despite concerns, Kansas joins a growing list of states enacting similar measures and directs hope toward averting tragedies while national debate continues over best practices for school protection.

For further analysis, see the detailed legislative coverage from The Beacon: Kansas, a breakdown of legislative strategy in Kansas Reflector, and an industry-wide perspective on school gun detection technology from StateScoop.

Wichita's entrepreneurial scene is making headlines with the launch of Planetary Talent, an AI-powered recruiting company co-founded by locals Mark Janzen and Jacob Schlittenhardt, along with Rohit Ghule from India.

As highlighted by Groover Labs, the startup was conceived through collaboration at Wichita's leading coworking hub, aiming to bridge the communication gap in today's hiring market - where both job seekers and employers use generative AI like ChatGPT, often resulting in impersonal, ineffective exchanges.

Mark Janzen summarizes the challenge:

“What's happening now is people are using ChatGPT to rewrite their resumes for every job they apply for, and on the other end, employers are using ChatGPT to read all the resumes. The system is very broken and there's a lot of room for a company to innovate and say, ‘How do I get my story across of who I am to potential employees and how do I find ones that are interesting to me?'”

As reported by the Wichita Business Journal, the company leverages AI technology initially developed for game design, repurposed to help candidates and employers highlight unique stories - restoring human connection to recruitment.

With Kansas offering robust early-stage incentives such as the Angel Investor Tax Credit - up to 50% for local investors, per Every.io's breakdown of Kansas startup tax credits - the region's founders are finally being empowered to scale innovative tech like Planetary Talent from the heartland, attracting more interest and funding to Wichita's growing tech ecosystem.

This month, Heartland Forward and edtech innovator Stemuli unveiled a pioneering AI-powered learning platform designed to reach rural students and entrepreneurs throughout the central U.S., including communities in and around Wichita.

Launching at the Heartland Summit and described as a "first-of-its-kind" initiative, the partnership will provide interactive, game-based AI education - drawing inspiration from platforms like Roblox - to boost workforce readiness as automation is expected to impact up to 30% of U.S. work hours by 2030 (Heartland Forward jump-starts AI education).

The curriculum spans large language models, machine learning, prompting skills, and practical career modules, adapting content based on employer needs and real-world feedback.

Students and career-seekers will benefit from immersive quests, dynamic coaching, and targeted upskilling - features that have already led to demonstrated success at Texas P-TECH schools, where users of Stemuli's platform graduated with average earnings of $60,000-$70,000, far surpassing the $46,000 average for peers (Heartland Forward, Stemuli to create AI learning platform).

As Taylor Shead, CEO of Stemuli, affirms:

“AI is evolving faster than ever, reshaping the future of work in real time. Our AI-native game engine equips learners with the tools they need to stay ahead of this era of transformation. We're redefining workforce readiness - starting with delivering education that is accessible, immersive, and aligned with how Gen Alpha and Gen Z learn best.”

The platform targets rural schools first, with plans to scale across all 20 states defined as the heartland, and places a strong emphasis on economic mobility and digital access.

For additional insights and the full scope of the program's impact, read the official press release from Heartland Forward and Stemuli's collaboration (Heartland Forward and Stemuli Launch First-of-Its-Kind AI Training Platform in the Heartland).

An unprecedented anti-fentanyl campaign called “Unfinished Legacies” is employing artificial intelligence to simulate the voices and likenesses of young overdose victims, aiming to warn teens and young adults about the deadly risks of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.

With Kansas City experiencing a staggering 1,190% increase in fentanyl-related deaths over five years, the campaign - developed in partnership with local families and the creative agency BarkleyOKRP - uses consented deepfake technology to allow victims like Jordan Coburn, Jaden Anderson, and Victor Avalos Marmolejo to share deeply personal video messages beyond the grave.

Jordan's AI-recreated image narrates:

“Still can't believe I'm dead. What I didn't know, no one knew – was that there was fentanyl in it.”

The effort, while praised for its emotional impact, has sparked ethical debates about the normalization and appropriate use of deepfake technology in public health messages, with experts warning,

“I do have this question of how this habituates us to seeing deepfakes and engaging with them in a way that was real... we have to be really cautious about what kind of ways we're going to use these new tools.”

Targeted especially at youth through social platforms, the campaign leverages video testimonials and family stories, combined with statistics showing an alarming trend in overdose demographics - white men ages 35-50 and Hispanic men 18-35 - with children as young as 12 experimenting with drugs.

For a comprehensive look at how the campaign was created and the voices behind it, see the coverage by KCTV5's feature on AI-driven fentanyl victim storytelling, learn about the campaign's technological underpinnings from Adweek's analysis of BarkleyOKRP's creative process, and explore personal family perspectives in KCTV5's in-depth reporting on “Unfinished Legacies”.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly proving its value in combating child trafficking, notably exemplified by Paul Hutchinson, executive producer of Sound of Freedom, whose team partnered with "black hat" hackers to develop AI-driven tools targeting child predators.

These systems were able to identify 800,000 unique U.S. individuals downloading child abuse videos in just one month, with the same AI instrumental in helping law enforcement capture a child trafficker who had eluded the FBI for a decade (Producer reveals how AI was used to capture child trafficker).

In a detailed account, Hutchinson explained how AI scours encrypted file-sharing networks by recognizing unique device identifiers, significantly boosting investigatory reach.

A summary table illustrates the scope:

Metric	Figure	Source
US Individuals Identified Downloading Abuse Content (1 month)	800,000	Fox News
2023 Trafficking Victims Identified (Worldwide)	133,948	US State Department
Increase in Human Trafficking Referrals (US, 2012-2022)	26%	US DOJ

While AI's positive impact is clear, Hutchinson's methods come with controversy.

During a 2016 sting in Mexico, he admitted to behavior that sparked further debate about undercover tactics and ethics (Sound of Freedom Producer Admits to Groping Possibly Underage Victim).

Nonetheless, advocates stress the technology's potential, with experts noting that online child enticement reports surged over 300% from 2021 to 2023, signaling an urgent need for scalable, ethical AI solutions (How AI is exposing the dark web of child exploitation).

As AI applications expand in both enforcement and survivor support, a balance must be struck between results and responsibility.

AI technology is fueling a dramatic rise in sophisticated financial scams, particularly targeting older adults in Wichita and beyond. Scammers now use AI-generated voice memos and deepfake videos to convincingly impersonate trusted officials or loved ones - sometimes even cloning a grandchild's voice in crisis calls to defraud seniors out of thousands of dollars.

Financial losses among Americans over 60 reached nearly $5 billion last year, with one Kansas resident losing $30,000 through a scam that hijacked his computer and manipulated him into mailing cash using AI-powered impersonation tactics.

According to the FBI, recent “vishing” attacks use AI to send fake voice and text messages, establishing false rapport to access personal accounts and escalate identity theft by impersonating top U.S. officials.

The proliferation of deepfake technology has made it increasingly difficult for victims to discern legitimate communications, as scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities and isolation.

Data from Fortalice Solutions and Varonis reveals that digital fraud increased by 20% year-over-year, with AI chatbots further complicating detection. In response, organizations like the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center - a new collaboration between AARP, Amazon, Google, and Walmart - are rallying to raise awareness and equip seniors, families, and financial institutions with the tools to recognize and report scams.

Experts emphasize:

“Sometimes you can't tell, ‘is this legitimate or not?'”

and encourage vigilance and verification of any unsolicited requests for money or sensitive information.

For a detailed look at the emerging threats and practical protection strategies, explore this report on AI-powered deepfake scams and how to protect yourself.

This month, skepticism toward generative AI technology has reached new heights as prominent experts highlight its ongoing shortcomings. At the 2025 Web Summit in Vancouver, cognitive scientist Gary Marcus delivered a pointed critique, describing large language models as fundamentally “auto-complete on steroids” and “incapable of reasoning.” He expressed concern that, despite being pitched as universal problem-solvers, generative AIs remain fraught with issues such as misinformation, cybercrime, and the illusion of intelligence, stating:

“It was sold as this universal thing, like snake oil, that was going to solve absolutely everything, and it's not. And people are wising up.”

According to recent reporting from The New York Times on AI hallucinations, users are contending with an increasing frequency of “AI hallucinations” - instances where systems like those from OpenAI and Google confidently produce false output, often with no reliable path to correction.

Industry insiders now acknowledge that, contrary to early optimism, scaling up training data hasn't solved this problem, and the incidence of errors is actually rising.

Marcus's critical perspective, echoed throughout the summit and highlighted by coverage from BetaKit's opening-night report on AI critiques, resonates with a growing consensus: AI's promises must be balanced with honest assessment.

As Marcus's biographical background confirms - professor, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and AI contrarian - his voice adds urgency to the call for reform in AI development and deployment (Gary Marcus speaker profile at Web Summit Vancouver).

Newman University is set to debut seven innovative, hybrid-format degree programs in Fall 2025, powered by a partnership with Rize Education, to address strong regional demand for high-impact careers in technology, healthcare, and financial services.

This expansion includes Applied Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Game Development, Financial Planning, Neuroscience, and Nutrition, combining on-campus learning with expert-led online courses to provide both scheduling flexibility and industry relevance.

As Dr. Alden Stout, Vice President for Academic Affairs, explains,

“These programs offer our students access to leading-edge curriculum, industry connections and the skills employers are actively seeking, while maintaining the personal attention and values-based education that defines the Newman experience.”

Notably, the Applied AI track emphasizes practical applications and ethics, preparing students to deploy custom AI tools across industries and address emerging challenges in privacy and trustworthiness.

For a full list and specialized focus of the new majors, see the following table:

Degree Program	Focus Area	Career Pathways
Applied Artificial Intelligence	AI applications, ethics, and real-world integration	AI Specialist, Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer
Cybersecurity (concentration)	Defending digital systems & data	Cybersecurity Analyst, Security Consultant
Data Science	Advanced analytics & machine learning	Data Scientist, Business Analyst
Game Development	Design and technical skills	Game Developer, Interactive Media Designer
Financial Planning	CFP board alignment, personal finance	Financial Planner, Advisor
Neuroscience	Medicine, psychology, research	Healthcare, Biotech Researcher
Nutrition	Dietary science & global health	Nutritionist, Public Health Specialist

Learn more about how Newman's new degrees are transforming Wichita's education and workforce landscape by visiting the official announcement on Newman University's program launch overview, an in-depth feature on Wichita Business Journal's coverage of career-focused hybrid programs, and a spotlight on program details for Applied AI at Newman University Applied Artificial Intelligence.

Wichita educators are rapidly expanding their expertise with AI tools, as Microsoft's Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot become available for students aged 13 and up this summer, bringing advanced AI-powered learning and data protection to classrooms.

Teachers now have access to a growing portfolio of free, flexible professional resources - such as the AI for Educators Learning Path - to hone their skills in designing learning prompts, evaluating AI responses, and integrating digital fluency across curricula.

New hardware, like Copilot+ PCs with dedicated neural processing units and battery life exceeding 20 hours, is recommended for future-proofing Wichita schools, supporting richer AI functions like lesson planning, quiz creation, and summarizing tasks, as highlighted in EdTech Magazine's guide to Microsoft Copilot in K-12.

Local teachers can deepen AI literacy with modules mapped to ISTE and UNESCO standards, accessed via the Enhance Teaching and Learning with Microsoft Copilot training.

As one school leader noted,

“The real promise of Copilot Chat isn't efficiency - it's cognition.”

Wichita's educators are thus not just saving time but fostering student agency, inclusion, and readiness for a digital-first future.

Wichita's AI ambitions are accelerating, as local businesses, government, and educational institutions navigate both the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence.

New AI startups like Insource.ai are aiming to help small business owners boost efficiency, while established sectors such as healthcare increasingly rely on AI-powered tools to reduce staff burnout, improve patient care, and identify critical health conditions faster on how businesses can leverage artificial intelligence; overview of AI applications in Wichita hospitals to reduce costs.

Yet, experts warn of hidden risks, urging transparency, continual human oversight, and clear ethical guidelines, especially as AI's role deepens in sectors like medicine and government.

With demand growing for hybrid roles - like AI system auditors and prompt engineers - education providers are emphasizing the need for continuous learning and reskilling, as noted at the Ad Astra Tech Summit:

“Required skillsets will expand beyond traditional coding to include proficiency in AI tools, data privacy regulations, and understanding AI's societal impacts.”

Forecasting the Future of Tech Hiring: 2025 and Beyond.

While AI presents real opportunities to boost productivity and create new careers (from cybersecurity specialists to AI ethicists), concerns remain over job displacement and data bias.

Ultimately, Wichita's tech leaders, educators, and policymakers are laying the groundwork for a future where responsible AI adoption can enhance both economic vitality and community trust.