Wisconsin Technology Council President Tom Still says AI and the rise of data centers are “going to be good for the state as we become more of a hub.” But he also said related energy demands will need to be carefully managed.
Still was the featured guest during yesterday’s Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Lunch(UP)date event, which focused on his legacy leading the Tech Council and the path ahead for the organization.
The Tech Council earlier this year announced he will be retiring in early October after more than 23 years at its helm; he will keep a position on its board. He’s being succeeded by Maggie Brickerman, who co-founded the startup accelerator gener8tor.
“I don’t want to do it as, you know, looking over shoulders or anything like that, I just want to be helpful,” Still said of his role on the board. “And then again with Maggie coming in, to the extent I can help advise as she transitions, so be it, that’s all good.”
The conversation ranged from the Tech Council’s origins and growth into a statewide organization to Wisconsin’s strengths in various tech-related sectors such as the life sciences.
Along with the link between AI and the various large data centers being developed in the state, Still also shared his thoughts on AI’s role in the media, education and other sectors, as well as potential pitfalls in some of these areas.
“As we discussed a little earlier, the notion of all of Wisconsin’s historic sectors potentially being able to benefit from it, whether that’s tourism, ag, manufacturing, forestry. These are all things that are part of our past and will continue to be part of our future,” he said. “So I think the people in those sectors will continue to leverage that if they see opportunities.”
Still also said he expects AI to make a difference in health care in particular, speeding up the process of research into new therapies.
But at the same time, he pointed to the dangers of AI in education, calling the technology “a mixed bag” at this point.
“We have a generation of kids who say, ‘I don’t really need to learn that, I’ll just ask AI,’” he said.
Meanwhile, Still touted the success of the state’s Qualified New Business Venture program, which provides tax credits to investors in qualifying early-stage businesses in the state. He said the credits have likely led to at least $900 million in private investment.
“I think it’s time for the Legislature and the governor to move on, to improve upon that foundation and modernize those credits in a way, so we can keep up with the Joneses in our neighborhood, the Illinois’s and the Michigans and Ohios,” he said. “So that’s a challenge.”
When asked about his biggest accomplishments as the head of the Tech Council, Still pointed to the group’s role in driving greater investments in the state’s early-stage economy, from the QNBV program to the Badger Fund of Funds and more recent Wisconsin Investment Fund. He also noted the Tech Council’s efforts in “raising the level of conversation” about tech in the state.
“At the end of the day, it’s probably being able to communicate the possibilities and the message about what technology growth means to Wisconsin’s economic growth in general,” he said.
Watch the full interview at WisconsinEye.
