Kansas Towns Ride the Wave of Economic Growth with AI Technology Revolution
Published on: March 10, 2024
In western Kansas, community leaders are trying something new to bring more people and businesses to their towns. They’re using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to figure out what kinds of businesses and services the locals really need. This could help them understand what to focus on to stop people from leaving rural areas.
For example, in the town of Liberal, Kansas, there's a coffee shop owner named Shandon Classen. He opened his shop last year, but keeping the business going has been tough. Now, officials in Seward, Finney, and Ford counties are using AI software to track when and where people shop using anonymous data from cellphones. This information could help local businesses like Classen's coffee shop.
The idea is to find out exactly what people in these towns need and want. Like Mario Loredo in Liberal, whose family often travels over 50 miles to buy supplies in bulk because they can’t find what they need locally. By using AI to track shopping habits, town leaders hope to understand why people are shopping out of town and what businesses they could bring in to keep people shopping locally.
In Finney County, economic development president Lona Duvall and her team are using a tool called Placer.ai. This AI tool tracks where people go using their phone data. It’s all anonymous, but it gives the team valuable information about why people come to or leave their town, and what kinds of shops or services might make them stay.
These towns are also facing a housing crunch because of more jobs in factories. They don’t have enough affordable places for people to live. The AI tool shows them how many people have to commute from far away for work, which could mean that building more housing in town might encourage these workers to move closer.
Eli Svaty, the economic development director for Seward County, says that AI is giving them a big advantage. They can’t afford a huge staff, but the AI tool, which cost them $17,000 for two years, does a lot of the work that a team of experts would normally do. It's like having a high-tech helper for the price of something much cheaper.
But it's not all smooth sailing. Sometimes there isn’t enough data to really understand what’s going on, especially because these tools are usually made for bigger cities, not rural areas like western Kansas. They had to get special permission to adjust the AI tool to work better for their needs.
Some people aren't too happy about being tracked, even if it is anonymous. It's a new idea for community and economic improvement, but for some, it feels a bit too much like being watched.
Despite the challenges, there's hope that these AI tools could make a big difference. If the towns can figure out what services and businesses the locals really need, they might be able to keep their communities strong and growing.
So, while these small towns in Kansas are facing some big challenges, they're also seeing some exciting opportunities with the help of AI. By better understanding the needs and habits of their residents, they're hoping to write a new chapter for their communities.
The story of these Kansas towns shows that even in the most unexpected places, AI can play a role in shaping the future. It’s not just about big cities and tech companies; AI can help small communities too.