In November 13th to 15th, Wyoming business leaders gathered together to discuss the future of the state’s economy and how they can improve their own businesses. Several panels were held at the event, including one on emerging technologies and the first ever economic forecast.
The AI topic was a hotly debated topic during the emerging technologies panel. Ed Seidel, president of the University of Wyoming (UW), emphasized his desire to push AI research at UW, while Petroleum Engineering Professor Dr. Mohammad Piri agreed and discussed how AI could be used for efficient oil extraction in poor space exploitation.
The first ever economic forecast was also presented at the event, with elected leaders and legislators discussing various topics related to Wyoming’s economy. Dr. Anne Alexander, assistant dean of UW College of Business, provided a brief overview of the state’s economy, stating that inflation is moderating and population growth is expected to increase. However, she also highlighted some systemic problems such as unaffordable housing, challenges in accessing childcare for workers, and low college-going numbers in agriculture, hospitality, construction industries are doing well but natural resources mining financial services have mixed forecasts.
Another major topic covered was Wyoming’s housing crisis and possible solutions. There were different opinions on this matter. Megan Degenfelder believes that government intervention should not be necessary in resolving this issue while Chuck Gray thinks infrastructure development should be prioritized before addressing housing concerns. Senate President Ogden Driskill and Speaker Albert Sommers argued that government intervention is needed to tackle this problem head-on.
The next Wyoming Business Alliance event will take place on February 24th 2024 with the Legislative Reception 2024
