Vermont has long been a land of agriculture. Dairy, eggs, Christmas trees, honey, apples and, of course, its famed maple syrup—agricultural commodities have secured the Green Mountain State’s legacy as one of the nation’s top farming states. But among the vast farmlands, a tech revolution has been brewing in Vermont, opening the door for artificial intelligence to make its mark.
Though Vermont may not be among the first states to come to mind when considering advanced technology, this picturesque New England state recently proved many wrong by securing Tech Hub status from the Biden-Harris Administration (as part of the CHIPS and Science Act), thereby opening up the door to exciting grant opportunities. Vermont’s Advancing Gallium Nitride (GaN) Tech Hub, in particular, is eligible to receive up to $75 million in federal grant money to further their research in GaN semiconductor technology. The GaN Tech Hub, a consortium led by the University of Vermont, was just one of 31 tech hubs in the country to land the title and the federal dollars that come with it. Their potential for rapid growth in GaN manufacturing, which is used for semiconductor applications aimed at national security and defense efforts, has allowed Vermont to come out swinging as the next big thing in advanced technology.
The GaN Tech Hub’s designation is the latest win for Vermont’s advanced technology sector which, in recent years, has nurtured the growth of companies like Essex Junction’s Global Foundries, one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturing companies, and South Burlington’s Beta Technologies, an electric aerospace company that’s developed vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The growth of the state’s tech sector has all but laid out the welcome mat for artificial intelligence. As a result, there’s been an explosion of AI-powered companies here looking to make their mark. Burlington’s THINKMD, for example, boasts a clinical intelligence and analytics platform that uses machine learning to help users, regardless of their level of training or clinical background, make diagnoses and decide which steps to take for treatment. In 2023, THINKMD and Save the Children, one of the world’s largest organizations focused on the health and lives of children, entered into a partnership that would allow the organization to adopt and scale the THINKMD platform to help frontline workers care for children on a global scale.
It’s an exciting time to explore what a career in artificial intelligence can do for your career. Vermont’s laid the groundwork; now it’s time for you to earn the formal degree or certificate program in AI that will jumpstart your career or take it to the next level.
How AI Is Transforming Vermont’s Healthcare Systems
Artificial intelligence’s power to transform everything in its path is nothing short of extraordinary, particularly in the healthcare sector. Here, boundaries are pushed, frontiers are advanced, and innovations are forever altering the landscape.
In Vermont’s hospitals and healthcare systems, the integration of AI is found at every turn. From easing clinician workloads to streamlining services to improving the quality of patient care, AI is being used here to create healthcare systems that are better, stronger, more efficient, and more resilient than ever.
At Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, they’re in the process of implementing two AI technologies to help ease administrative workloads. DAX CoPilot, an AI-powered clinical documentation tool, will help administrators quickly and automatically generate clinical summaries for the hospital’s electronic health record. And Jorie, an AI-powered bot that uses AI tools to automate tasks, will help the hospital’s staff expedite tasks. For example, if a staff member must call an insurance company, Jorie will perform the tedious task of retrieving the necessary clinical documentation and processing a claim.
At Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, orthopedic surgeons are using a new tool in the operating room called the Mako SmartRobotics system. This AI-powered robot has a surgeon-guided arm that delivers more accuracy and precision for minimally invasive surgeries.
And at the University of Vermont Health Network’s Porter Medical Center in Middlebury, they’re using AI to quickly and accurately identify a stroke in progress. The AI technology, called Rapid AI, reviews a patient’s CTA scan to detect signs of a possible stroke. The AI program then immediately notifies one of the neurologists of the 24/7 UVM Medical Center Stroke Team. The program is also able to alert the neurologist to the specific area of the brain where the stroke is taking place.
This isn’t the first time the UVM Medical Center has utilizes Rapid AI. They first began using it back in 2018 to review patient records for diagnosis gaps and flag areas where additional documentation might be needed. It’s also being used to make quick work of documentation and charting, thereby reducing the burden on medical staff.
AI Jobs in Vermont
According to CompTIA’s 2023 State of the Tech Workforce, Vermont’s tech workforce is a significant portion of its economy. As of 2022, there were 16,687 tech workers in the state, which represent about 5 percent of the overall workforce here. The state’s 2,454 tech businesses had an economic impact of $2.6 billion during this time.
Between 2021 and 2022, tech jobs in Vermont grew by 1.8 percent, which accounted for 294 jobs. CompTIA projects that between 2022 and 2023, tech jobs in the state will rise again by 1.5 percent, representing another 253 jobs.
Artificial Intelligence Jobs in Montpelier
Precision instrument, specialty metal product, and defense/aerospace companies in Vermont have long supported a strong high tech employment base that today is supplying talent for jobs in artificial intelligence.
- ML/AI senior software engineers at Confluent in Montpelier oversee the creation of ML and AI capabilities that allow customers to unlock the full potential of their data. These professionals are responsible for building the infrastructure and designing and implementing different categories of ML and AI algorithms.
- AI scientists at Carrier Global Corporation in Georgia develop and deploy ML and AI technology, methods, standards, and toolsets. They are responsible for developing and executing the overall ML/AI strategy roadmap.
- AI lead product managers at Wolters Kluwer in Montpelier serve as advisors who solve problems that have an impact on business. These professionals are responsible for overseeing the development of growth plans for a technology product, product family, or segment.
AI Companies in Montpelier and Burlington
Despite its relatively unassuming position as a tech leader, Vermont has managed to land its share of cutting-edge AI companies that are making serious inroads and disrupting business and industry in the most innovative ways possible.
For example, take Deep Analytics, a Montpelier-based company that’s developing disruptive machine learning and sensor technologies for the Department of Defense. In October 2023, they were named a DoD partner for Skillbridge, a program that places services members at civilian companies for industry training and internships for the last 180 days of their military service. And there’s Biocogniv in Burlington, a digital diagnostics company that combines AI with laboratory medicine and evidence-based acute care to improve cost of care and prevent morbidities. In 2022, they raised $6 million in seed funding to develop and validate two of its technologies: aiMarkers™, predictive AI models, and clinOS™, a clinical, cloud-based platform.
Other influential businesses making a name for themselves in Burlington’s rising AI sphere include MatrixLabX, whose AI platform automates and streamlines brand management efforts, and Faraday, whose consumer prediction platform helps companies boost their customer experiences through predictive marketing and personalization.
Much of the commercial development of AI technologies in Vermont are born out of the region’s esteemed research universities. For example, in 2022, Norwich University received $4 million in federal funding to establish a learning center for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum computing. This new center will be a hub for education and training programs for both undergraduates and industry professionals looking to continue their education.
And there’s plenty of VC firms in Vermont to help budding tech startups grow. The Vermont Seed Capital Fund, for example, invests in early stage, high opportunity, tech-based companies throughout the state. The fund is a revolving “evergreen” equity fund of $5 million of initial funding from the State of Vermont.
AI Salary in Vermont
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), AI professionals, who fall under the broader BLS category of computer and information research scientists, earned a median salary of $136,620 as of May 2022. Those with little experience earned about $99,410 during this time, while those with extensive experience and likely a graduate-level education earned about $232,010.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Master’s Degree and Certificate Courses in Vermont and Online
Though degree and certificate programs in artificial intelligence are still emerging in Vermont, you’ll be pleased to know that many colleges and universities across the country now offer both undergraduate and graduate AI programs. And because many of these programs are offered in fully online formats, you can earn your degree in AI from the comfort of your home, regardless of your geographic location or busy, professional schedule.
AI bachelor’s degrees provide a comprehensive introduction to the field and are typically offered as part of a computer science or engineering degree. These programs offer both theory and practice in this interdisciplinary field, along with courses like data mining, deep learning, computer vision, and robotics.
AI master’s degrees and graduate certificate programs provide career changers and currently practicing engineers and computer scientists with an in-depth examination of the field. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of AI, these programs may be offered within schools of computer science, engineering, arts and sciences, and even philosophy. Many programs allow students to choose from electives across a number of schools and departments, while others offer a variety of specialization options. For example, an MS in AI through a school of engineering may offer specialization options in areas such as biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or electrical and computer engineering.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for computer information and research scientists. Job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, CareerOneStop. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2024.