By Granite State Report
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant sci-fi scenario: it’s here, and even in our beloved Granite State, the shifts are real, rapid, and rife with opportunity and complexity. In this deep dive, I chart where New Hampshire stands today in the AI race, what sectors are being transformed (or disrupted), what the risks and governance issues are, and what the prospects may hold for our region’s economy, workforce, and civic life. Strap in, because the future is awkward, wondrous, and very much now.
1. Why Focus on New Hampshire and AI?
While New Hampshire isn’t Silicon Valley or Boston’s Kendall Square, that may be more of a strength than a weakness. The state has unique cultural, economic and institutional features that position it to engage with AI in a distinctive way.
1.1 A regional-scale advantage
- Proximity to the Boston / Cambridge tech corridor gives NH firms and institutions access to talent, research and networks. Education programs in the state reflect an uptick in AI-relevant offerings. (AI Degrees Online)
- A smaller population and economy mean change can be more visible and potentially more agile: decisions and pilots may be faster, risks more manageable.
- The presence of established sectors such as manufacturing, life sciences, healthcare, public sector — all of which are now increasingly being touched by AI — means New Hampshire isn’t starting from scratch. For example: “New Hampshire may be small in size, but it’s steadily building momentum in artificial intelligence (AI) education and innovation.” (AI Degrees Online)
1.2 Government & policy readiness
- The state is showing early signs of concrete policy engagement around AI. For instance, the release of a Code of Ethics for Use of AI in State Government was announced in October 2023. (The Rochester Post)
- The creation of a dedicated AI-task-force via the New Hampshire Tech Alliance to position NH as a potential national leader in AI innovation. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
These efforts signal that NH is conscious of both the upside and the caution zones of AI — which is a very good thing.
1.3 Workforce & corporate development
- A recent guest blog states: “As companies increasingly leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance their operations, it is necessary for organizations, particularly in New Hampshire, to ensure their workforce is equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate AI effectively.” (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- Local AI-consulting companies, accelerators and firms are emerging in NH. (The Manifest)
Thus, NH has both the impetus and growing capacity to respond to the AI transition.
Thus: focusing on New Hampshire’s AI journey is not just about “what tech giants elsewhere are doing” — but how a mid-sized, regionally connected state with a diverse economy and committed institutions can shape AI’s role in its future.
2. Sectors in Focus: How AI Is Being Deployed in the Granite State
Let’s walk through several sectors where AI is already playing or poised to play a significant role in New Hampshire, highlighting real-world examples, opportunities and caveats.
2.1 Education & workforce readiness
- The article “Talking about A.I. in schools, and not just about fears …” highlights how NH educators are exploring generative AI tools like the Khanmigo (by Khan Academy) in NH classrooms: “Since last June, the non-profit Khan Academy has been piloting its teaching assistant and tutor Khanmigo in the state.” (Concord Monitor)
- The New Hampshire education ecosystem must grapple both with up-skilling (training people who can build/maintain AI) and re-skilling (helping existing workers adapt). As the guest blog phrased it: the workforce must be “equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate AI effectively”. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- At the University of New Hampshire (UNH), committees have been set up to address “AI in research & scholarship” — noting that generative AI exploded onto the scene and raised integrity and ethical issues. (The New Hampshire)
Opportunities
- A trained AI-aware workforce can attract firms, raise wages, reduce brain-drain.
- Education’s early adoption of AI tools creates familiarity, which is good for competitiveness.
Caveats
- If training doesn’t match future job demands, there is mismatch and wasted investment.
- Ethical, accessibility and bias concerns: tools may reinforce existing disparities if not carefully managed.
2.2 Manufacturing, life sciences, and applied industry
- The life-sciences sector in NH (300+ companies) is already strong, and AI’s “ability to change the face of this flourishing sector” is highlighted in an education-degree report. (AI Degree Guide)
- The blog “Empowering the Granite State” notes companies in NH are increasingly leveraging AI in their operations. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- Local consulting firms such as the aforementioned AI consulting lab and others provide AI-integration services to SMBs (small-medium businesses) in the state. (aisuperior)
Opportunities
- Manufacturing and life sciences lend themselves naturally to AI usage: predictive maintenance, process optimization, quality control, medical image analytics, etc.
- Being a “smaller” state may allow for pilot programs and custom adoption.
Caveats
- The capex and talent requirements of AI implementation can be high — smaller firms may struggle.
- Sector-specific regulation (e.g., in life sciences) may slow adoption or require more caution.
2.3 Government, civic life and regulation
- NH released a Code of Ethics for Use of AI in State Government in October 2023. (The Rochester Post)
- The NH Tech Alliance AI Task Force is actively engaging government, industry and academia to craft policy and strategy around responsible AI. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- Civic risks: AI-generated robocalls mimicking voices before the NH primary raised major concerns (see later section).
Opportunities
- State government can become a “smart adopter” of AI (e.g., in service delivery, cybersecurity, data analytics) while modelling ethics.
- NH can set an example of how a smaller state balances innovation + ethics.
Caveats
- Government implementation may lag; legacy systems may struggle.
- Oversight and regulation: getting the balance right is difficult — if regulation is too heavy, innovation may slow; too light, risks proliferate.
2.4 Workforce, business creation & startups
- Lists of top AI companies in NH show a nascent but growing ecosystem: e.g., The Manifest listing “Top 8 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companies in New Hampshire”. (The Manifest)
- AI degree programs and pipelines are coming online in NH. (AI Degrees Online)
Opportunities
- Potential for new business models, startups, niche specialization (e.g., AI for manufacturing, healthcare in NH).
- Talent pipeline strengthening: as AI becomes central, states with prepared workers gain advantage.
Caveats
- New Hampshire will face competition from bigger hubs (Boston, NYC, etc) for talent and investment.
- Startups need capital, mentorship, ecosystem support — historically smaller in NH than major hubs.
3. Governance, Ethics & Risks: The Other Side of the Coin
AI isn’t just upside. If we ignore the risks, we allow serious blind-spots. New Hampshire’s story shows awareness of this tension.
3.1 Ethics, regulation & transparent use
- NH’s Code of Ethics for AI use in state government indicates early forward-thinking. (The Rochester Post)
- The AI Task Force’s objectives include “Promote Responsible AI – Advocate for AI practices that reflect transparency, fairness, inclusivity, and alignment with the public good.” (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
Key questions
- Who gets access to AI-driven systems and who doesn’t?
- How is bias managed when training data reflect historical inequities?
- How is transparency maintained when systems are opaque (“black box” models)?
- How are citizen rights protected when government uses AI in decision-making (e.g., eligibility, benefits, policing)?
New Hampshire has the chance to create best-practice frameworks for smaller states.
3.2 Civic risk: disinformation, elections and AI-enabled deception
- A compelling example: “Artificial intelligence in elections generates apprehension and acceptance” reports how AI-generated robocalls (mimicking President Biden’s voice) targeted NH voters before the primary. (Granite State News Collaborative)
- This is not purely speculative: authorities issued cease-and-desist orders for such calls in NH. (AP News)
- The NH House passed a bill requiring disclosure on synthetic-media political ads. (AP News)
Risk summary
- AI enables impersonation, synthetic voices/videos, micro-targeting — which can undermine public trust and democratic processes.
- If regulation lags, NH may become a test-bed for manipulation. On the other hand, proactive governance may set safeguards for other states.
- Citizen literacy is important: people need to understand what AI-mediated content means.
3.3 Workforce displacement, skill gaps & regional inequality
- Like all places, NH faces a future where some jobs may shrink or change radically due to AI automation.
- There is a risk that AI adoption will concentrate value (benefits) with those who already have skills, and leave behind those without.
- Education and reskilling efforts (see section 2) are essential but must be scaled and inclusive.
3.4 Infrastructure, data & investment
- AI doesn’t run on magic: it needs data, computing power, infrastructure and connectivity. Rural parts of NH could be at a disadvantage if infrastructure is weak.
- Investment flows tend to favour large markets; NH must carve its niche and articulate value to attract capital.
- Data governance: NH institutions must manage data ethically, ensure security, privacy, especially if public-private partnerships expand.
4. A Closer Look: Institutional Landmarks in NH’s AI Landscape
Here are a few key institutions, initiatives and turning points to anchor the Granite State’s AI story.
4.1 The New Hampshire AI Task Force
Formed under the umbrella of the NH Tech Alliance, this Task Force is explicitly aimed at making NH a national leader in AI. Its objectives include: advising on policy, fostering innovation in targeted sectors, developing talent pipelines, driving economic growth, and promoting responsible AI. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
This gives NH an institutional hub for AI activity — which is important because coordination matters in tech ecosystems.
4.2 University of New Hampshire’s work on Generative AI in Research
UNH has set up committees to grapple with the sudden rise of generative AI tools (like large language models). For instance: “The University of New Hampshire has created several committees … to address the rapidly changing landscape, particularly in the sphere of research integrity and scholarly work.” (The New Hampshire)
That means NH academia is actively thinking about how AI changes how we research, not just what we research. That meta-level is crucial.
4.3 NH Government’s Code of Ethics for AI
In October 2023, NH released its AI code of ethics for state agencies, positioning the government as a proactive actor, not just a passive recipient of tech change. (The Rochester Post)
This gives NH a governance anchor point: if implemented well, the state could become a model for mid-sized jurisdictions balancing innovation and public interest.
5. Where Might NH Go from Here? Scenarios & Possibilities
Let’s sketch out plausible futures for how AI might evolve in New Hampshire — not predictions, but well-grounded hypotheses to reflect on.
5.1 Scenario A: “Smart Adopter”
What happens: NH government, firms and academia cooperate smoothly. The state becomes recognized for niche AI deployment (e.g., AI in life-sciences manufacturing, AI in manufacturing process optimization, public-sector AI in service delivery). Education and training ramp up. The regulatory framework is viewed as balanced.
Outcomes: Stable growth in high-value jobs, related startup spin-offs, modest inward talent migration, improved public services, fewer negative AI-shock events.
Risks: Growth is moderate and incremental. NH competes but does not leapfrog bigger hubs. Some communities may still lag if not actively included.
5.2 Scenario B: “Uneven Growth”
What happens: Adoption of AI accelerates in certain firms/sectors but without coordinated workforce/training / regulation. Some high-tech jobs grow, but many workers are left behind. Rural or less-resourced areas struggle. Government responds reactively rather than proactively.
Outcomes: Greater inequality, pockets of prosperity and pockets of stagnation. NH may see brain-drain if talent seeks more dynamic markets.
Risks: Public backlash to AI (automation fears, job loss, algorithmic bias) could hamper further progress.
5.3 Scenario C: “Leapfrog or Miss the Wave”
What happens: Two diverging paths:
- On the positive side: NH finds a “sweet spot” niche (e.g., AI for small-medium manufacturing firms, AI in rural healthcare, or ethical/regulatory services for AI) and becomes a national/regional centre.
- On the negative side: NH fails to invest sufficiently in infrastructure, talent, and coordination; external centres dominate; NH lags behind.
Outcomes: The state either becomes a meaningful AI hub or falls into “regional backwater” status for AI talent and investment.
Risks: Missing the wave could mean lost opportunities for economic diversification; leaping ahead is challenging and requires alignment of many factors (capital, policy, education, talent, industry).
5.4 Key Levers for Which Scenario NH Gets
- Talent & workforce development: Are education programs aligned to future AI demands? Are training investments broad and inclusive?
- Infrastructure & data readiness: Is NH ready to support AI (compute, connectivity, data governance)?
- Regulatory balance: Can NH develop frameworks that protect citizens and enable innovation?
- Industry-academia-government collaboration: How well do the pieces coordinate?
- Equity and inclusion: Are rural areas, under-represented populations, smaller firms included?
- Investment & ecosystem growth: Are startups forming, capital being attracted, firms investing in AI?
NH’s future will depend significantly on how well these levers are pulled together.
6. What This Means for Workers, Businesses & Citizens of the Granite State
Now let’s turn the spotlight to what you or your organization in NH might want to think about.
6.1 For workers and job-seekers
- Upskill / reskill: Learning AI-adjacent skills (data literacy, machine learning basics, domain-specific knowledge + AI) is more important than ever. NH’s education ecosystem is developing options.
- Domain-plus-AI: Workers who combine domain expertise (healthcare, manufacturing, life sciences, public policy) with AI-savvy stand to gain.
- Be aware of change: Some tasks will be automated or altered; being flexible and open to continuous learning matters.
- Ethics & human-in-the-loop: Even as automation increases, roles that involve human judgement, oversight, ethics, interaction will still matter.
6.2 For firms (small, medium & large)
- Start with strategy: If your firm is in NH, ask: what AI applications genuinely make sense for my business? (Quality control, predictive maintenance, sales optimisation, service automation?) The guest blog emphasises this need. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- Workforce readiness: How will your workforce adopt the new tools? Are training & change-management built in?
- Partner & leverage local ecosystem: The NH AI Task Force, local AI consulting firms, educational institutions can be partners rather than just vendors.
- Ethics & governance: Especially if you handle sensitive data (healthcare, personal services), build oversight and transparency early.
- Don’t over-hype, but keep curious: AI isn’t magic. Pilots and use-cases often tell the story. Keep learning, experiment carefully.
6.3 For citizens and civic society
- Digital literacy matters: Understanding what AI can do — and what it can’t — helps citizens engage with technology thoughtfully.
- Watch for governance & rights issues: NH’s engagement in AI ethics is a positive sign; demand transparency in how government, firms use AI.
- Voice participation: As technology changes society, public discourse, inclusion and equity matter. The NH AI Task Force invites participation. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- Guard democracy: We’ve seen the risks of AI in elections. Ensuring media, policy, platforms are up to the task is a collective responsibility. (Granite State News Collaborative)
7. Challenges + Unanswered Questions
While the opportunities are exciting, the devil is always in the details. Here are some of the harder puzzles NH must grapple with.
- Talent competition: Will NH be able to hold on to talent, or will people head to larger tech hubs?
- Rural-urban divide: Will AI benefits accrue mostly in urban/corporate centres, leaving rural NH behind?
- Regulation vs innovation tension: Over-regulation could stifle small firms; under-regulation could lead to harm (privacy, bias, job loss).
- Data & infrastructure: Is NH’s broadband, compute infrastructure, data-governance framework strong enough to support next-gen AI use-cases?
- Equity & inclusion: How do we ensure smaller businesses, lower-resource communities aren’t left behind in the AI transformation?
- Ethical/just deployment: AI models trained on biased data may reproduce or amplify injustices; who ensures fairness?
- Economic dependence on a single sector?: If NH leans heavily on one niche (say, manufacturing AI), what if that niche suffers global disruption?
These questions are not unique to NH, but they matter more in a smaller state where fewer “shots on goal” exist.
8. Final Reflections: The Granite State’s AI Horizon
So what’s the big takeaway? For New Hampshire, AI is not some far-away tech fad — it is a catalyst (and disruptor) that touches education, industry, governance, jobs, and our civic fabric. The state has many of the right ingredients: a committed institutional base, agile size, nearby tech ecosystems, and an early inclination toward governance. But ingredients are not a guarantee of outcome.
If NH plays its cards well, the state could become a model of how a mid-sized, somewhat decentralised region can adopt AI thoughtfully: balancing innovation and ethics, growth and inclusion. That’s a narrative worth striving for.
Conversely, if NH drifts into reactionary mode (only adopting after major disruption) or fails to build inclusive ecosystems, the state may find itself playing catch-up while other regions race ahead.
For Granite State Report readers: I encourage you to keep an eye on local developments: the NH Tech Alliance AI Task Force, university programmes, small-business AI adoption, and state policy moves. Ask: How is this affecting our town? Our workforce? Our public services? Our democratic institutions?
AI may be intangible in some ways, but its impact will be very tangible. The Granite State’s future will be shaped by how we engage with it — with curiosity, critical thinking, ethics and creativity.
The State We’re In | What to Know About AI in NH
(A great 20-minute discussion with NH stakeholders exploring the real issues of AI in New Hampshire.)
References
- “Empowering the Granite State: The essential role of AI learning and development in New Hampshire’s corporate future.” – NH Tech Alliance blog. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- “Top 8 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companies in New Hampshire.” – The Manifest. (The Manifest)
- “New Hampshire Artificial Intelligence (AI) Degree Programs.” – AIDegreesOnline. (AI Degrees Online)
- “Examining the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Research at UNH.” – The New Hampshire Exam. (The New Hampshire)
- “Artificial intelligence in elections generates apprehension and acceptance” – Granite State News Collaborative. (Granite State News Collaborative)
- “NH Leads in Cybersecurity Grant Program, Releases Code of Ethics for Use of AI in State Government.” – State of NH press release. (The Rochester Post)
- “New Hampshire AI Task Force” – NH Tech Alliance. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- “NH Tech Alliance Launches AI Task Force to Guide Responsible Innovation and Policy.” – NH Tech Alliance. (New Hampshire Tech Alliance)
- “Talking about A.I. in schools, and not just about fears …” – Concord Monitor. (Concord Monitor)
