Kirk Dombrowski, UVM's Vice President for Research and Economic Development, was named a member of Governor Phil Scott’s Vermont Artificial Intelligence Economic Task Force. The Task Force — whose members represent 10 counties and various sectors across the state from higher education, healthcare, nonprofits, energy, and economic development — will identify how artificial intelligence is reshaping the state’s economy and recommend workforce, investment, and policy actions.
“As a result of this new technology, I believe we need to do our homework to understand how it can help us while also addressing some of the challenges that come with it,” said Governor Phil Scott. “And to do that, I’ve appointed members who represent almost every county in the state in some of the sectors we believe will be most impacted.”
Dombrowski will chair the Task Force’s ‘Economic Acceleration’ working group, which will build Vermont’s AI readiness framework, identify the state’s highest-value AI opportunities, and recommend steps the state can take to capture them, all while emphasizing communities throughout the state most affected by demographic shifts and workforce declines. Two other working groups will explore small business competitiveness and community resilience.
“Vermont has the talent, creativity, and collaborative spirit to become a leader in the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence,” Dombrowski said. “Through the Economic Acceleration Working Group, we're identifying the state's highest-value AI opportunities and developing practical recommendations to help Vermont capture them. By bringing together perspectives from government, industry, higher education, and communities across the state, we can ensure that Vermont is prepared not just to adapt to AI-driven change, but to benefit from it in ways that reflect our values and priorities, all while supporting innovation across sectors and expanding opportunities in the region.”
Dombrowski already serves as a leader in the AI space at UVM, co-chairing the University’s own AI Taskforce with UVM’s Chief Information Officer Kellie Campbell, who recently co-chaired the Vermont Digital Government Summit in South Burlington.
