Governor Moore Convenes Maryland Innovation Summit, Releases New Maryland Business AI Benchmark
Updated:
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Wes Moore today convened the Maryland Innovation Summit in Baltimore, bringing together around 400 leaders from government, business, labor, philanthropy, and academia to chart how Maryland will meet the economic and social changes driven by artificial intelligence. At the summit, the Maryland State Innovation Team released the Maryland Business AI Benchmark Report, a new survey of senior decision-makers at Maryland businesses that gives the state its most in-depth evidence base on how employers are adopting AI, how it is impacting productivity, and what they expect it to mean for the state’s workforce.
“Marylanders should not have to wait for Washington to decide what this technology will mean for their jobs, their families, and their communities,” said Gov. Moore. “Maryland is choosing to lead, and we are guided by clear principles: protect our people, center our workers, and keep our kids safe. We are going to meet this moment the way Maryland always has by leaving no one behind and creating opportunities for work, wages, and wealth in every zip code.”
Governor Moore delivered the keynote address, highlighting Maryland as a national model for implementing guardrails around the rapidly developing technology, while expanding economic opportunity for all Marylanders. In the absence of federal regulations, the Moore-Miller Administration’s AI Framework outlined three guiding principles for the responsible development, deployment, and regulation of AI: protecting our people, centering our workers, and keeping our kids safe. The governor also signed an executive order establishing guardrails for transparent and accountable data center development.
The Maryland Innovation Summit is the first major convening since those landmark actions, bringing together the national and local leaders whom the State will partner with to put those principles into practice.
Over the course of the day, participants converged around three questions: how Maryland invests in workers, protects their rights, and expands opportunity as AI reshapes the economy; how the state grows its economy by helping businesses leverage AI while safeguarding workers; and what models of AI governance best balance risk and opportunity.
Speakers included Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, Comptroller Brooke Lierman, The Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Raj Shah, Anthropic Head of Public Policy Sarah Heck, Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO President Donna Edwards, Fearless Founder and CEO Delali Dzirasa, Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation Secretary Jonny Dorsey, and Governor's Office for Children Special Secretary Carmel Martin, along with the heads of five national and Maryland foundations and leaders from six of Maryland's institutions of higher education.
Maryland Chief Innovation Officer Francesca Ioffreda delivered remarks on the main stage on what innovation looks like inside state government — co-designing with residents, delivering for families and communities, and empowering the civil servants who serve them — before unveiling results of the State’s research findings in the Maryland AI Benchmark.
“The Maryland State Innovation Team charts the future with residents, not simply for them — and that commitment holds as we navigate a period of rapid technological change,” said Maryland’s Chief Innovation Officer Francesca Ioffreda. “We do that work through bold new solutions, original data insights, and cross-sector convenings. The Maryland Business AI Benchmark is our latest step: a clear view of how AI is affecting Maryland businesses, so the State can shape products, programs, and policies with ground-level data.”
The Maryland State Innovation Team fielded the Benchmark between June and July 2026, reaching nearly 300 senior decision-makers at organizations across the state. Key findings include:
- AI adoption is nearly universal, but most businesses remain early in the journey. 91% of respondents report using some form of AI, but 58% fall into basic use — standalone tools or built-in features — rather than deeper integration.
- Productivity gains are real but modest. 92% of regular AI users report a positive productivity impact, though most describe it as slight (70%) rather than significant (21%).
- Leaders expect workforce evolution rather than reduction. Two-thirds of businesses have a dedicated AI budget. 64% plan to have existing employees do more with AI rather than hire additional staff, while just 4% expect AI to reduce their headcount.
- Businesses are asking for more state support. Capital and technical assistance rank as the most helpful potential interventions, followed by AI pilot programs and talent pipelines. In their own words, businesses most often ask for AI training programs, funding tailored to small businesses, and affordable access to secure digital infrastructure.
The summit also featured a conversation with Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu, Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, and Maryland Department of Information Technology Secretary Katie Savage, moderated by Maryland Chief Performance Officer Asma Mirza. They discussed how the state is leading through this moment across workforce, economic development, and government service delivery, and what each of those means for residents: better jobs, a stronger economy, and public services that work for the people who rely on them.
Afternoon deep dive tracks brought national and local experts together on building Maryland’s economic future and preparing workers; on the role of philanthropic and private capital; on protections covering child safety, catastrophic risk, worker rights, and AI regulation; and on human-centered, responsible AI adoption in government service delivery. The day closed with conversations on higher education and access, the future of work, and the investments that will make Maryland’s growth durable over the coming decade.
“Maryland’s workers must remain a central voice when discussing the development of artificial intelligence and its risks,” said AFL-CIO President Donna Edwards. “Thank you to the Moore-Miller administration for holding this important summit and establishing guardrails to protect Maryland and our workers. Together, we will continue to affirm a workers’ centered AI future.”
The summit builds on the Moore-Miller Administration existing record: an executive order on the responsible deployment of AI in state government, the 2024 AI Governance Act, the State of Maryland Responsible AI Policy, and more.
The Maryland State Innovation Team, launched by Governor Moore in 2024, organized the summit and produced the Maryland Business AI Benchmark. In September, the team launched the Maryland Community Compass, the state’s AI-enabled platform for small businesses and community developers, expanded through a partnership with Anthropic. It has served more than 18,500 active users and was deployed alongside $14 million in new state funding.
For more information, contact [email protected].
###
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
