Views & Visions

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, government agencies across the country are being challenged to modernize their operations and deliver services more efficiently. In West Virginia, the Secretary of State’s Office has emerged as a leader in this transformation, embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to better serve business owners, entrepreneurs, and citizens. 

At the heart of this innovation is S.O.LO – short for Single Online Location – West Virginia's first AI-powered chatbot developed and put into use by a state government agency.

S.O.LO ...

It wasn’t that long ago when artificial intelligence, or “AI” was something most people only heard about in passing, often in headlines about Google DeepMind’s AlphaGo program defeating one of the world’s best Go players, or IBM’s Watson winning a round of Jeopardy!. Although these early innovations captured the public’s imagination, AI was still thought of as a distant dream. For many people, AI was still an abstract idea, confined to the laboratories of major technology companies and academic institutions, or something they might see in a plotline of a Star Trek

Contrary to fears of job displacement by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, advanced manufacturing skillsets are in high demand and growing. Nationally, Deloitte reports more than 380,000 open positions; anecdotally, in recent years at the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC), we have experienced the same level of demand from industry in West Virginia. Now, thanks to a study by Marshall University’s Center for Business & Economics Research, we have that demand documented here also. Specifically, 83 Mountain State manufacturers detailed 2,768 ...

As the brand manager at Custard Stand Chili and daughter of founders Dee and Angie Cowger, I’ve seen firsthand how a small-town restaurant in Webster Springs, West Virginia, grew into a national brand. Over the years, we’ve evolved, expanded, and reimagined, but one thing hasn’t changed: our willingness to innovate and improve.

That same drive led us to explore and embrace artificial intelligence (AI), a move that’s helping our small but mighty team work smarter, faster, and more creatively. While AI might seem like the realm of Silicon Valley giants, we’ve discovered ...

The hospitality and tourism sector is fundamentally a people-centric business with customer service and engagement being core elements of its culture. However, ongoing labor shortages, increased labor expenses, and inflation have led to customer difficulties, including longer lines, longer wait times, and inadequate personal service. Therefore, more customers began seeking technology solutions such as self-service kiosks and mobile ordering and payments due to these staffing shortages. As technology and automation solutions are widely adopted among businesses, these ...

In the heart of West Virginia, where the Appalachian Mountains have long symbolized resilience and innovation, a new kind of revolution is taking shape — one powered not by coal or steel, but by artificial intelligence. At Appalachian Logistics Group (ALG), we’ve embraced AI not as a futuristic concept, but as a practical, powerful tool that’s reshaping how we operate every single day.

From optimizing our transportation routes to transforming how we recruit and serve our clients, AI has become woven into the fabric of our business. The results? Improved efficiency, smarter ...

Across industries and state lines, the story of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly unfolding. GenAI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot are fundamentally changing professional workflows. Lawyers are leveraging GenAI to accelerate drafting, document review and summarization, and written discovery. Educators are generating customized lesson plans. Health care professionals are summarizing patient records and flagging clinical trends. In nearly every sector, GenAI is helping professionals reduce repetitive tasks and focus on work that ...