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WISING UP How Idaho Companies are Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
Artifcial Intelligence (AI), long the subject of Sci-Fi and the reality of tech rms everywhere, is now commonplace across industries. AI still feels nebulous to many as it is growing and calibrating with each moment. In the Treasure Valley, institutions are navigating AI, harnessing its strengths, and recognizing its complications.
At academic institutions around the state, AI is a constant topic of conversation. Boise State University departments nd themselves discussing the ethical use of AI as they tackle the increased temptation for academic dishonesty against the potential it holds as a tool for students and professors alike.
In the nursing department, researchers are evaluating ways to incorporate large language models (like ChatGPT) into nursing education.
Jen Schneider, Associate Dean of the College of Innovation and Design at Boise State University, is excited by what AI stands to o er, including ways for students to access their own creativity. “So many people don’t think they’re artists or designers, but you can produce amazing images and use those in a variety of ways that people would nd really exciting,” she said.
AI is streamlining things in both subtle and obvious ways. Companies like Drake Cooper, a Boise advertising agency, use AI with intention, including for research and strategy, creative concepting, and helping with complex coding. eir goal is to reduce time on routine tasks without losing quality.
From retail to content creation to Shadowscape’s AI-powered security automation in cybersecurity, companies are guring out how to leverage the technology. Talentpair. com, a company that provides a tech-powered hiring solution, uses AI to match candidates to jobs using proprietary data points. ey’re doing extraordinary things by using technology in interesting ways, which is creating better job matches that o er the potential for happier employees.
AI has practical applications for consumers too. In November of 2021, Albertsons began testing shopping carts capable of self-checkout. e Seattle-based technology, founded by former Amazon managers, used AI to identify and tally items shoppers selected, allowing them to skip the line. Albertsons has also partnered with BloomReach, a digital experience platform which uses AI data to o er a smarter search experience for online shoppers that provides better results. They’ve also partnered with Afresh, which uses AI to help replenish inventory and prevent food waste.
The Idaho Small Business Development Center (SBDC) sees it as a tool to help small businesses with important tasks like improving SEO and even relieving the burden of time consuming tasks like case management. For businesses with fewer folks on payroll, tools like ChatGPT can close crucial gaps, freeing humans up to do the tasks best left for them.
At larger, more global companies like Micron Technology, Boise plays a central role in research and development related to AI. “Micron is the only leading-edge memory technology and design center in the U.S,” said Scott DeBoer, Micron’s Executive Vice President of Technology and Products.
“There are several different lenses that Micron looks at relative to AI, all of which are critically important to our business. Broadly, they fall into three categories of how to prepare our workforce for AI-related change in the future, how to best utilize the capabilities enabled by AI to optimize our business performance, and of course how to ensure our product portfolio for the future is well positioned to ensure Micron’s leadership in AI-related products. We are focused on all three of these categories and believe that together they will be transformational to our business,” DeBoer said.
“Our technologies enable the latest generation of faster, intelligent global infrastructures that make AI and generative AI possible and we are excited to be a pivotal player in driving the future of AI across various platforms and applications,” he said.
In the end, time will tell how AI will impact the Treasure Valley and the world at large. Backed by Idahoans, the future seems bright.
