Fairfax County leaders continue to take preparatory steps toward more aggressively tackling impacts of artificial intelligence on the local economy and workforce.
The county government had “dozens of applicants” respond to a request for proposals to help develop an “AI Economy Action Plan,” Rebecca Moudry, director of the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, told local elected officials and business leaders on Tuesday (March 10).
AOL’s Northern Virginia presence continues to shrink, as the one-time internet pioneer prepares to lay off more than 100 employees in the coming months.
A total of 108 workers who work at or receive assignments from the company’s office at 11955 Democracy Drive in Reston Town Center will be laid off between now and May 31, according to notifications sent to the Virginia Department of Workforce Advancement and Development and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay on Feb. 17.
A pair of Arlington-based technology companies are planning new offices in Fairfax County, collectively promising over 300 new jobs.
First, the space tech manufacturer Umbra announced last Thursday (Feb. 12) that it will expand to Reston, opening a 20,000-square-foot office expected to host over 100 employees. Then, defense contractor Grvty revealed yesterday (Tuesday) that it will establish a new corporate headquarters in Tysons.
After a year of firings undermined the typical stability of the federal workforce, Fairfax County’s economic development and business leaders have championed the technology sector as a promising bet for diversifying the local job market.
That pivot will continue with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) bringing a free tech and cyber hiring event to Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) in Tysons tomorrow (Thursday).
“One account, one experience” is the mantra adopted by Fairfax County government officials who have begun the complicated process of merging a variety of online customer payment portals into a single customer-friendly site.
The ultimate goal is to provide a “seamlessly interactive” experience for county residents and business owners, requiring only a single login password that will span multiple services, from paying vehicle taxes to renewing a dog license.
Fairfax County officials say they will be ready when the first installment of the new prepared meals tax comes due in early 2026.
“We are on track — prepared and ready to go,” Robert Barr, division director for revenue systems at the county’s Department of Information Technology, told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a Nov. 25 meeting of its Information Technology Committee.
Fairfax County Public Schools is not shying away from embracing artificial intelligence.
The school district is one of the first nationwide to partner with OpenAI to help guide the rollout of “ChatGPT for Teachers,” a new tool intended to provide planning assistance for educators.
As Fairfax County Public Schools leaders consider a policy to guide the usage of artificial intelligence in classrooms, a lab program from Virginia Tech is already preparing some students to be at the forefront of technological change.
Bucknell Elementary School in Groveton is the new home of the Thinkabit Lab Innovation Space, a tactile learning hub developed by the wireless technology manufacturer Qualcomm that’s designed to pique students’ interests in science and prepare them for careers in technology.
Fairfax County Public Schools officials want to make sure students are using artificial intelligence as a tool rather than a crutch.
FCPS doesn’t have a comprehensive policy governing the use of AI, but officials are working on one. Superintendent Michelle Reid told the Fairfax County School Board at a work session this month (Oct. 7) that it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page because AI is such a broad topic.
Though it’s not going to host their new stadium, Fairfax County continues to put its stamp on the Washington Commanders.
D.C.’s NFL team has granted the naming rights to its training facility in Ashburn to BigBear.ai, a Tysons-based contractor that develops artificial intelligence technology.
