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The Pennsylvania Senate Communications & Technology Committee, recently held at TechVentures in Bethlehem. PHOTO/BFTPNEP
Ben Franklin hosts AI hearing at TechVentures
Listen to this articleBen Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania recently played host for a public hearing of the Pennsylvania Senate Communications & Technology Committee, held at its TechVentures facility in Bethlehem.
Chaired by State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick and State Sen. Nick Miller, the hearing—titled “Powering Artificial Intelligence‘s Future in Our Commonwealth”—gathered thought leaders from the entrepreneurial, investment, academic, and healthcare sectors to explore how Pennsylvania can leverage AI to strengthen its innovation economy.
Ben Franklin Northeast noted that it has realized decades of success by staying ahead of the curve and strategically funding companies that harness early-stage technologies long before they become mainstream.
The hearing emphasized the continuing need for workforce development, startup support, ethical AI frameworks, and smart state investments to unlock the transformative potential of AI across the state.
Wayne Barz, chief investment officer at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, offered testimony to the committee:
“We [Ben Franklin Northeast] had three companies in to present to our development group yesterday, and all of them featured artificial intelligence in their business model and in the construct of their product,” Barz said. “AI is poised to become a massive force in the U.S. economy, driving productivity, innovation, and economic growth at an unprecedented scale.”
During the hearing, Sen. Lisa Boscola, whose district includes Bethlehem, praised the organization’s statewide economic impact.
“Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern PA has assisted in creating over 17,000 new jobs for Pennsylvania workers and retaining over 27,000 existing jobs. It also started nearly 500 new companies. This is a wonderful incubator. I am just so proud to represent it. Thank you so much for coming here to witness what’s happening.”
