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

Wichita stands at the forefront of the AI and tech transformation wave in 2025, buoyed by a surge in research funding, innovative educational initiatives, and robust public-private partnerships.

Wichita State University reported an impressive $79.6 million in external research proposals for FY2025 and $74.9 million in awards, much of it focused on applied AI, STEM, and next-generation learning opportunities in the WSU Research Newsletter.

The recently issued executive order by President Trump is accelerating local momentum by mandating AI literacy, expanding K-12 and workforce training, and introducing nationwide AI education challenges, as detailed in the White House Executive Order on Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education.

Industry and academia are actively responding: Wichita Public Schools' FutureReady Centers integrate applied tech learning, while WSU's Barton School welcomes global AI expert Dr. Mark Esposito for spring 2025 - an event underscoring Wichita's role as a national innovation hub.

“Mark is at the forefront of AI and technological discourse worldwide,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School. “His insights on how the world is evolving and how we can stay ahead of these technological shifts are essential for anyone interested in the future of the economy and its impact on our lives.”

For further insights on Wichita's digital transformation and AI leadership, explore the keynote event details at Wichita State University.

Wichita Public Schools are rapidly advancing their integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms, positioning the district as a leader in digital transformation for K–12 education.

With nearly 47,000 students across 88 schools, WPS is implementing a holistic approach: AI specialist Katelyn Schoenhofer emphasizes starting with administrator training before cascading support to teachers and students, ensuring a strong foundation for sustainable adoption.

Key teacher development initiatives include structured, districtwide professional development, such as a two-day AI conference and “game night” workshops that blend practical AI literacy with engaging lesson design - efforts echoing national trends and policy recommendations as outlined in the latest White House executive order on AI education.

The curriculum not only equips educators and students with access to tools like Microsoft Copilot and Canva Magic Media but also emphasizes human-only skills - ethics, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving - to prepare students for workforce and societal changes.

This transformation is data-driven; WPS plans to leverage Azure and Copilot for insights while professional development remains agile to meet teachers' evolving needs.

As CIO Robert Dickson notes, “AI integration in education should augment human teaching rather than replace it.” Teachers praise how AI can reduce administrative workload and spark student curiosity, despite concerns about job security and ethics.

As one AI leader put it:

“We're laying that foundation so that as we build those AI digital literacy skills, then we can move into data analytics.” - Katelyn Schoenhofer, AI Specialist, Wichita Public Schools

For a closer look at early AI integration models and districtwide PD outcomes, visit this in-depth analysis of K–12 AI adoption and see detailed local reporting on hands-on teacher training at Education Week's coverage of Wichita's approach.

This month, Kansas made headlines by allocating $10 million for AI gun detection in schools, igniting debate over both effectiveness and equity in school safety tech.

The predominant system, ZeroEyes, uses artificial intelligence layered onto existing surveillance cameras to identify visible firearms and dispatch rapid alerts to law enforcement once a human reviewer verifies the threat - a process the company claims can happen in under 10 seconds.

While advocates, including school leaders and some lawmakers, say ZeroEyes provides an added layer of deterrence and peace of mind, critics argue state funding criteria have unduly favored the company and limited competition, as outlined in a Kansas Reflector investigation into legislative lobbying and grant language.

Real-world deployments demonstrate a mixed record: the technology has identified both fake and real guns in schools, but it can also trigger false alarms, leading to disruptive lockdowns and heightened anxiety - raising questions about the technology's reliability and impact.

Lawmakers remain divided: some prioritize the visibility of AI-based safety investments, while others, as reported by The Beacon's article on Kansas school funding, caution that these funds might be better spent on foundational supports such as mental health and staff training.

Failure to detect weapons - such as in the Nashville incident, where an AI system did not recognize a firearm before a fatal shooting due to camera placement - demonstrates the limitations and potential unintended consequences of relying on AI solutions for life-and-death situations according to recent national coverage.

The core debate in Kansas reflects a national reckoning with how best to balance rapid technological solutions against the persistent need for evidence-based, holistic approaches to school safety.

Wichita continues its tech resurgence, as entrepreneurs Jacob Schlittenhardt and Mark Janzen - joined by co-founder Rohit Ghule - prepare to launch a new AI-driven recruiting company in the city after a year of rigorous planning.

Their venture taps into the broader national trend toward lean, AI-powered startups that maximize efficiency with smaller teams, a shift highlighted in the Emerging AI: Roundup for March and April 2025, which details how emerging startups use a host of AI tools to rapidly scale innovative solutions across industries.

The Wichita startup's timing is notable as neighboring regions such as Kansas City are witnessing a surge in AI-enabled companies spanning healthcare, education, and even sports tech, as seen in the 10 Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2025 spotlight.

While traditional approaches to hiring are undergoing disruption, the Wichita founders aim to position their platform at the intersection of talent matching and automation, reinforcing the region's competitive momentum.

For more on Wichita's own AI recruiting debut, check out the Wichita Business Journal's feature on the AI-driven recruiting company launch.

AI-driven financial scams are surging in complexity and scale, placing older adults at increasing risk in Wichita and nationwide. In 2023 alone, Americans aged 60 and over lost $3.4 billion to scammers, a 14% rise from 2022, as criminals employed sophisticated AI tools like deepfakes and voice cloning to convincingly impersonate relatives, officials, or support professionals according to the American Bar Association.

According to the National Council on Aging, seniors face an array of AI-powered scams - from grandparent ploys and tech support impersonations to increasingly costly romance and cryptocurrency schemes - often leaving victims embarrassed and reluctant to report losses as detailed in the top financial scams targeting older adults.

Kathy Stokes, AARP's director of fraud prevention programs, underscores the scale:

“We're entering an industrial revolution for fraud criminals. AI opens endless possibilities and, unfortunately, endless victims and losses.”

Deepfake technology now enables scams that are extremely difficult to detect, with some cases resulting in losses of millions and local authorities urging families to adopt verification code words and promptly report any suspicious activity as recommended in RCB Bank's guide to protecting against deepfake scams.

The table below summarizes the most common AI-enabled scams and their impact on older adults:

Staying informed, using code words, and independently verifying all unusual requests remain the best defenses against these fast-evolving threats.

Newman University is set to reshape Wichita's academic landscape with the launch of seven new hybrid undergraduate degree programs this fall, developed in partnership with the rapidly growing edtech company Rize Education.

These programs - Applied Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Game Development, Financial Planning, Neuroscience, and Nutrition - address high-demand career fields and blend personalized, on-campus learning with specialized online coursework.

As detailed by university leadership,

“This partnership with Rize Education represents Newman University's commitment to innovation and preparing our students for the careers of tomorrow. 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.”

The hybrid format, which includes approximately one online class per semester, increases flexibility for student-athletes and working students and draws on Newman's values-driven approach.

Below is a summary of the new programs and their career targets:

Classes begin August 2025, pending accreditation approval, promising to make Newman University's curriculum a launchpad for future-focused professionals.

Learn more about program features and enrollment at Newman University Academics.

This month, Kansas City launched "Unfinished Legacies," a groundbreaking anti-fentanyl campaign using artificial intelligence to recreate the voices and likenesses of overdose victims, delivering poignant warnings to local youth via social media platforms.

These AI-generated video messages feature real stories from individuals like Jordan Coburn, Jaden Anderson, and Victor Avalos Marmolejo, whose families hope that sharing the enduring impact of fentanyl will resonate with young people more effectively than traditional campaigns.

As Kansas City faces a staggering 584% increase in regional fentanyl-related deaths from 2019 to 2022 and seeks innovative prevention strategies, experts are also engaging in public debate over the ethical use of AI voices, with concerns about consent and deepfake misuse highlighted in national cases such as those involving Tom Hanks and Chinese celebrities.

“They're not statistics, they're not just memories, they're real people,”

explained Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, emphasizing the campaign's human-centered approach.

The table below presents some key statistics from Kansas City's fentanyl crisis:

For further insights, explore the original reporting on Kansas City's AI-driven anti-drug campaign, ethical considerations in AI-generated voice misuse and celebrity deepfakes, and watch how AI technology is reshaping prevention efforts in coverage by InvestigateTV+.

Bank of America is redefining the financial services industry by making artificial intelligence (AI) a cornerstone of its operations, with over 90% of its 213,000 global employees routinely leveraging AI-powered tools for enhanced efficiency and productivity.

Their proprietary virtual assistant, Erica®, now used by more than 20 million clients and widely deployed internally, has helped reduce IT service desk calls by over 50% while also supporting customer-facing teams and onboarding processes, saving tens of thousands of employee hours annually and facilitating over 2.5 billion client interactions since launch.

According to Aditya Bhasin, Bank of America's Chief Technology & Information Officer,

“AI is having a transformative effect on employee efficiency and operational excellence. Our use of AI at scale and around the world enables us to further enhance our capabilities, improve employee productivity and client service, and drive business growth.”

The bank not only prioritizes practical, securely governed AI for daily business operations but also maintains an industry-leading portfolio of nearly 7,400 patents - over 1,200 focused on AI and machine learning (explore Bank of America's global AI adoption in detail).

Still, as seen across banking, the widespread rollout of generative and agentic AI is forecasted to reshape entry-level and administrative roles, especially as workflows and customer support functions become more automated (read analysis on AI's impact on banking jobs).

The competition is fierce, with Wall Street's largest banks projected to automate or transform up to 200,000 jobs in the next three to five years - yet Bank of America is recognized for balancing job augmentation with upskilling and career progression, making it a model for responsible AI integration in finance.

For further insight on how Bank of America's technology investment and practical AI strategy sets the pace for the industry, see this CIO.com feature.

Below is a snapshot of AI's impact by role level:

Artificial intelligence is rapidly redefining the battle against child trafficking, with groundbreaking tools enabling unprecedented identification and rescue efforts.

Paul Hutchinson, founder of the Child Liberation Foundation and executive producer of Sound of Freedom, has spearheaded over 70 undercover rescue missions, leveraging AI to identify exploiters and victims across encrypted digital spaces - a critical move as, in just one month, new AI technology identified 800,000 unique U.S. individuals downloading abusive materials.

These solutions not only help trace crime across borders but are also integrated into innovative survivor support; for example, healing programs now employ AI-driven avatars modeled after beloved TV characters to facilitate trauma therapy for children.

As the scale of trafficking remains staggering - with an estimated 10 million child victims globally and more than 133,000 cases identified in 2023 - the fusion of technology and humanitarian activism is delivering measurable impact both in Wichita and internationally.

"There's so much good out there that we are using to help combat this. Just as much as the bad guys are using deepfakes and whatever else to try to push their agenda in their direction. We're going to win this. We're gonna win this war because there's way more good guys out there than there are bad guys and together, we can use this technology to save the kids."

The Child Liberation Foundation's work is matched by community initiatives and direct action - such as the largest single-country child rescue of 48 victims - anchored in holistic rehabilitation and educational outreach.

For a closer look at how AI-driven strategies are dismantling trafficking networks, examine the insider's account of AI-enabled rescues, learn about the foundation's survivor-centered innovations on the Child Liberation Foundation official site, and dive deeper into Paul Hutchinson's mission and global impact via his recent feature interview.

Wichita is emerging as a leader in the ethical integration of AI in K–12 education, blending national policy initiatives with local innovation to set a high bar for responsible technology adoption.

With Wichita Public Schools (WPS) serving nearly 47,000 students, the district has adopted a holistic “train the trainer” approach, empowering administrators, teachers, and students through specialized AI literacy and ethical training.

WPS provides educators with access to tools like Microsoft Copilot and Canva Magic Media, while curriculum efforts focus equally on technical proficiency and “human-only” skills such as ethics, creative problem-solving, and design thinking.

As part of ongoing efforts, 12 WPS middle schools participate in the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program for advanced ed-tech coaching, and the district is piloting student AI use with built-in guardrails to prevent misuse.

A recent article in EdTech Magazine about Wichita's AI education initiatives highlighted Wichita's inclusive and phased approach, emphasizing advice like,

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

according to AI specialist Katelyn Schoenhofer.

National momentum is bolstered by the April 2025 executive order establishing the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education, prioritizing student and educator innovation through public-private partnerships and federally funded AI literacy resources.

Wichita's efforts are further enhanced by the district's focus on applied learning and future-ready career pathways, showcased through new instructional centers and industry collaboration in the KWCH Innovation in Education report.

As AI adoption accelerates in education nationwide, Wichita's focus on ethics, literacy, and collaborative leadership positions the city at the forefront of responsible AI rollout in America's schools.

The global surge in artificial intelligence (AI) is reverberating in Wichita, as industry giants Meta and SK hynix report record-breaking profits fueled by AI-driven demand.

In Q1 2025, Meta delivered a robust 16% year-over-year revenue increase to $42.31 billion, with net income soaring 35% to $16.64 billion, propelled by innovations such as Meta AI and expanded advertising capabilities.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted,

“We've had a strong start to an important year, our community continues to grow and our business is performing very well. We're making good progress on AI glasses and Meta AI, which now has almost 1 billion monthly actives.”

The company also bumped up its capital expenditure plans for AI infrastructure to between $64–$72 billion for the year, underscoring its ongoing investment in AI capacity according to CNBC's detailed coverage of Meta Q1 2025 earnings report.

Meanwhile, SK hynix, a leader in semiconductor memory, saw operating profit skyrocket 158% year-over-year to $5.4 billion on revenues of $17.63 billion, driven by high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips critical for AI applications.

The company now claims a commanding 36% global DRAM market share and plans to centralize cutting-edge DRAM production at its new M15X facility by year's end, positioning itself for further growth as AI adoption accelerates according to The Chosun Daily's industry report on SK hynix.

These milestones not only underline the impact of AI advancement on international profit sheets, but highlight local opportunities as Wichita's digital ecosystem integrates AI-forward technologies and aligns with global market trends.

For more on Meta's financial details and future outlook, review the official Meta Q1 2025 earnings release on the official investor site.

As Wichita propels into the future, a dynamic convergence of education, tech policy, and workforce innovation positions the city at the forefront of regional transformation.

The launch of five new career-ready programs at WSU Tech's fall 2025 semester programs - including Mental Health Technician, Electrical Technology, Accounting, Food Business Management, and Quality Assurance Inspection - answers urgent local and statewide needs while tuition-assistance through state scholarships opens new opportunities for learners.

This robust commitment is reinforced by historic enrollment growth at WSU Tech, which saw a 10.4% headcount increase in Spring 2025, and nearly $3 million in Promise Scholarships awarded to 686 students this year alone.

Policy developments also impact the landscape; federal initiatives such as early AI exposure in education and new privacy legislation underscore the city's participation in national tech conversations (April 2025 US Tech Policy Roundup).

Reflecting on this growth, Dr. Sheree Utash of WSU Tech states,

“These record-breaking enrollment numbers reinforce what we have always known: technical education is a game-changer for students and our workforce.”

With engagement from education, industry, and government, Wichita exemplifies how coordinated investment and policy alignment can future-proof a community - and provide a model for cities nationwide navigating the next wave of tech transformation.