Regional members identified technology and sector priorities they want the advisory council to address: artificial intelligence workforce training, data-center siting and energy/water capacity planning, expansion of GoTech workforce activities in schools, and coordinated cluster approaches for life sciences, ag-tech and unmanned systems.

Several speakers urged faster action on AI and quantum-computing readiness. One participant described an upcoming Region 2 grant on AI and offered to share white papers; Delegate Michelle Lopes Maldonado said she serves on multi-state AI policy groups and offered to provide resources and legislative briefings. "We have examples, like, in Connecticut, they have an AI academy set up between workforce and their community college system," Maldonado said and invited members to reach out for resources.

Members also raised infrastructure concerns for data centers (power and water) and suggested state staff develop a statewide map of energy resources and possible collaborative projects. Attendees recommended inviting university speakers and building a resource library and white papers to guide grant-writing and long-term strategy.

The group agreed to list AI, data centers, and GoTech presentations among recurring agenda topics and to pursue cross-regional pattern-matching to identify projects where multiple regions could combine strengths.