AGP Executive Report

AI in Healthcare: OSF HealthCare is rolling out an AI stroke-assessment tool (“Rapid AI”) across its hospitals, including OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, aiming to improve CT scan interpretation and speed decisions for stroke patients. Public Health & Regulation: The FDA opened a botanical drug docket seeking input on how to accelerate approval of plant-based medicines, while the wild ginseng harvest season in Appalachia continues under federal trade rules. Tech & Local Governance: A Pennsylvania-style debate over data-center transparency is showing up in Indiana too, with Jefferson County officials weighing whether to impose a moratorium after concerns about how much developers can hide behind NDAs. Education Outcomes: Multiple Indiana counties show big gaps in six-year bachelor’s completion rates by race/ethnicity, including St. Joseph County (Hispanic/Latino: 32.5%) and Tippecanoe County (white: 83.5%), highlighting uneven access and support. Immigration & Cities: Indy faith leaders are pressing Mayor Joe Hogsett for more than statements as federal immigration enforcement raises fear among families. Environment & Infrastructure: Cambridge City council approved $245,675 for emergency water restoration after flooding, with more costs expected as equipment rentals and debris disposal continue.

Pharma Manufacturing: Eli Lilly says it will more than double its U.S. manufacturing investment since 2020, topping $50B, with four new sites and thousands of high-skilled jobs—an Indiana-relevant signal for reshoring and supply-chain resilience. Biotech & Health Research: A randomized trial reports serial ketamine infusions can meaningfully reduce depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant bipolar depression, with no treatment-emergent mania or psychosis—another data point for mental-health innovation. Public Health & Climate: A new UN push frames “strategic retreat” as warming accelerates past the Paris 1.5°C goal, while Indiana-area readers also get a reminder that extreme heat is becoming the new normal. STEM & Community Science: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s monarch tagging event highlights hands-on research and citizen science—plus a broader push for science education. Local Tech & Privacy: Ongoing debate around Flock cameras and license-plate readers keeps raising questions about surveillance, misuse, and what rules should govern police tech. Education & Equity: New Indiana graduation-rate reporting shows gaps by race and county, underscoring where support and policy attention still matter. Workforce & Money Stress: Indiana United Ways launches an interactive ALICE budgeting tool to show how asset-limited, income-constrained households make impossible tradeoffs. Energy Infrastructure: Indiana utilities seek public input on power grid upgrades and transmission projects, tying local planning to reliability and future demand.

AI & Energy Crunch: Tech investor James Altucher argues AI’s real bottleneck is electricity, not chips, and claims Elon Musk’s approach points toward moving AI operations into orbit. AI in Indiana Courts: A separate legal thread highlights how judges in Indiana are cracking down on AI hallucinations in court. Public Safety Cameras: Coverage continues to swirl around Flock camera misuse and proposed limits, including Indiana-related scrutiny and calls for tighter rules. Manufacturing & Research: Christian Odueme expands AI-driven engineering research after a smart manufacturing milestone, focusing on safety and reliability in energy systems. Local STEM & Community Tech: Indiana’s libraries and digital access get attention, including concerns about free internet funding and a Milford Public Library rummage sale that will support disaster recovery. Education Outcomes (Indiana): New county-by-county six-year bachelor’s completion figures show wide gaps by race and county, including Tippecanoe (Black students 70%) and Monroe (two or more races 74%). Industry Watch (Indiana): U.S. Steel completes the $350M blast furnace #14 reline at Gary Works, touting safety and long-term competitiveness.

AI & Courts: Indiana judges are cracking down as AI hallucinations show up in court filings, with dozens of cases cited since 2024 and attorneys facing tougher consequences for fabricated citations. Surveillance Tech Backlash: Flock Safety license-plate cameras are under renewed scrutiny after reports of officer misuse in Michigan City, while national political pressure is growing as governors move to restrict spending and deployments. Local Tech & Privacy: Owen County residents are pushing for a data-center moratorium or ban, citing water, power, noise, and property impacts as the county weighs next steps. Energy Infrastructure: Indiana Michigan Power is seeking public input on major transmission upgrades across the state to improve grid reliability, with multiple 765-kV line projects proposed. STEM & Workforce: Christian Odueme is expanding AI-driven engineering research tied to smart manufacturing and energy system reliability after studies at Ivy Tech. Education Access: Indiana libraries warn that proposed federal cuts to the E-Rate program could reduce free internet access, especially after recent storms drove more people to library Wi-Fi. Manufacturing & Chips: The U.S. and Japan are emerging as key production bases for Samsung and SK hynix as AI chip demand surges, with incentives and reliable utilities driving site choices.

AI Surveillance Backlash in Indiana: Former Pentagon AI policy director Mark Beall warns that expanding license-plate camera systems like Flock could enable a “China-like surveillance state” without guardrails and judicial oversight. Local Misuse Cases: In Michigan City, an officer resigned after an internal audit found questionable searches using Flock camera data; the case follows similar scrutiny in nearby Indiana agencies. Courts Crack Down on AI Errors: Indiana judges are increasingly sanctioning attorneys over AI hallucinations in filings, as reported cases tied to fabricated citations and legal claims keep rising. Grid Upgrades, Public Input: Indiana Michigan Power is seeking community feedback on proposed 765-kV transmission line projects across Indiana to improve reliability. Libraries vs. Internet Funding Cuts: Northwest Indiana libraries say federal E-Rate funding could be reduced or ended, threatening free Wi-Fi access that surged during recent storms. Education Completion Gaps: New county-by-county six-year bachelor’s completion figures highlight uneven outcomes by race and campus across Indiana, including IU Bloomington, IU East, IU Indianapolis, and Purdue Northwest. Energy & Tech Policy Watch: A national analysis flags 2026 renewable energy siting bills as often restrictive, with researchers expecting another intense push in 2027 as data centers expand.

Indiana Flood Aftermath: Seven people died in last month’s record August flooding, and survivors say FEMA and other aid has been slow and limited, with Cambridge City and Gary among the hardest hit. Higher Ed Policy: Indiana’s public colleges are holding a two-year in-state tuition freeze, but reporting notes the “sticker price” vs. fees and aid can make the real savings more complicated. STEM in the Great Lakes: A Marshall High teacher joined an EPA Lake Superior research immersion aboard the Lake Guardian, helping sample and analyze water tied to sunlight-driven breakdown of brown organic molecules. Robotics Research: An NSF center will study how assistive robots learn to co-adapt with people over long periods in homes and care settings, with University of Utah researchers playing a central role. Autonomous Vehicles: The Indy Autonomous Challenge brought university teams to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, running autonomous IndyCars in more complex passing scenarios. AI & Mental Health: A Yale psychiatry researcher weighs in on whether AI hallucinations can trigger real delusions, discussing what’s known and what’s still unclear. Public Safety Tech: Indiana’s Flock camera use continues to face scrutiny, including reports of misuse and calls for tighter rules.

Utility Accountability: Citizens Action Coalition alleges NIPSCO faulty gas meters overcharged 4,000+ customers, with some cases possibly involving decades of inaccurate billing, as the utility continues meter module replacements. Grid Reliability & Public Input: Indiana Michigan Power is asking residents to weigh in on three proposed 765-kV transmission projects totaling about 185 miles, with no final routes chosen yet. AI for Small Business: Indianapolis firm NevTech is expanding “done-for-you” AI services for Indiana companies, pitching production-ready AI receptionists, agents, and custom MVPs delivered quickly. Digital Identity/Privacy: WBOI adds “Click Here,” a tech-focused narrative show hosted by Dina Temple-Raston, aiming to explain surveillance and disinformation without fear. Education Tech Funding: Schools in northeast Indiana are watching the FCC’s E-Rate review, which could reshape how districts budget for internet and technology. Workforce Crunch: New labor data shows a record 106 million working-age Americans sidelined from the labor force, driven by factors like childcare and immigration uncertainty. Local Tech Governance: Concerns over Flock license-plate camera data sharing keep growing, with scrutiny on how police access and safeguards work. STEM & Careers: Heartland BioWorks tackles Indiana’s biotech labor shortage, while Rose-Hulman highlights summer internships focused on real-world community projects.

Workforce & Health Tech: CMS and SBA unveiled the CHOICE Arrangement as the new name for ICHRA, with Indiana highlighted as a place shaping employer health benefits. AI & Energy: A new take on Elon Musk’s satellite ambitions frames AI as increasingly constrained by power, not just chips—raising grid pressure as data centers expand. Semiconductors & Indiana: Coverage of US pressure on memory makers spotlights how supply-chain bottlenecks could reshape where advanced fabs land. Local Business & Skills: Walmart’s $250,000 grant to the Indy Chamber aims to help workers build in-demand skills amid AI-driven labor shifts. Indiana Education Policy: Indiana schools move toward a full-day wireless device ban, with implementation details showing how rules hit real classrooms. Public Accountability: Indiana lawmakers and watchdogs are pressing for transparency around the state’s expected Meta settlement money for harms tied to social media. Health Access: A Pasco family’s fight for an FDA-approved cancer drug shows how insurance paperwork can delay treatment even after approval.

Biotech Workforce: Heartland BioWorks says Indiana’s biomanufacturing growth is outpacing training, with BioCrossroads projecting 2,400–3,700 new workers needed each year—pushing more coordinated partnerships with universities and workforce programs. Life Sciences Expansion: Grace College will receive Zimmer Biomet’s global headquarters in Warsaw to boost orthopedic innovation and expand its orthopedic MBA pipeline. Rural Health Funding: Gov. Braun announced Indiana’s first-year regional grants under a CMS rural health program, with about $120M earmarked for regional projects. Higher Ed Growth: IU Fort Wayne hit a record enrollment of 1,208 students for 2026–27, citing demand in health professions and potential workforce impact locally. Public Safety Tech Debate (Flock): Indiana and nearby states keep wrestling with automated license plate reader use as lawmakers question privacy, retention, and search rules; Indiana State Police will investigate a Chesterton officer’s alleged Flock data access. Education Policy: Indiana’s cellphone ban expands to the full school day, requiring devices to be powered off and stored away from students. STEM & Training: Indiana Tech Watch also flags Arrive AI’s investor outreach on autonomous logistics endpoints and a new NSF-linked robotics/learning collaboration spotlighting how robots and people work together.

Rural Healthcare Boost: Indiana is set to receive $120M in federal funding to expand rural healthcare infrastructure, maternal care, and workforce pipelines under the Rural Health Transformation Program. Semiconductor Policy Pressure: New tariff proposals are putting Samsung and SK hynix on the spot—build more chip capacity in the U.S. or face higher duties—while Indiana’s SK hynix HBM plan keeps wafers in Korea and moves packaging/testing to West Lafayette. AI + Data Center Backlash: A major $100M ad push aims to soften public resistance to AI data centers as local communities demand moratoriums and utilities worry about strain. Tech in Schools & Libraries: Indiana’s new bell-to-bell phone limits shift screen time off campus, while librarians warn the FCC could change the E-rate program that helps keep library and school internet affordable. Space Education Hit: The Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana in Hammond is closing after nearly 30 years due to funding shortfalls. Workforce Training: Indiana’s INCAP apprenticeships have started, placing paid high school students at employers statewide across healthcare, tech/IT, manufacturing, and banking. Health Research: A study links Shingrix to a lower dementia risk in older adults, adding to the growing evidence base for vaccine benefits. Local Flood Recovery: Anderson and Muncie flood recovery updates highlight ongoing disaster recovery center activity and household relief payment progress.

Indiana Tech & Research: Indiana State’s 20-year-old NMR got a NIH-funded upgrade ($247,801) to keep undergraduate research and biomedical classes running strong. STEM Leadership: Dr. Nathan Schaumleffel was elected a Fellow of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), highlighting Indiana State’s reach beyond the classroom. Health Tech & Policy: A House Veterans’ Affairs panel voted unanimously to subpoena Oracle leaders over VA’s troubled electronic health record modernization contract, after lawmakers said they learned about a major contract ceiling increase through news reports. Manufacturing & Defense: Rolls-Royce says it completed a $1B upgrade across its Indiana engine manufacturing and test facilities, including new West Lafayette test capability. AI & Data Centers Backlash: A new report challenges claims that data centers “don’t use water,” citing large daily water use in the U.S. Public Safety Tech: Pierce Township ended its Flock license-plate camera contract, citing costs and public concern. Indiana Business Growth: Rehab Medical (Indianapolis) again made the Inc. 5000 list, crediting workforce development programs for growth.

AI in Indiana courts: Judges are cracking down on AI hallucinations after Indiana filings cited fabricated case details, with a database showing the problem accelerating fast. Local tech & policy: Indiana’s BMV is looking to launch mobile driver’s licenses, a practical step for everyday tech adoption. Biotech in the pipeline: Absci is pitching a “biotech’s Apple” approach to drug development, while Telix advances its BiPASS study toward an FDA pathway. Indiana manufacturing: Metal Technologies completed its acquisition of Rochester Metal Products, boosting foundry capacity and adding ~350 employees; Purdue Fort Wayne also opened a major new music industry center to connect students with real-world pro audio tech. STEM education: Rose-Hulman students are contributing to research through summer internships, including ocean-focused robotics work. Energy & resilience: Indiana residents are still dealing with storm fallout and long outages, raising questions about grid reliability and accountability. Science & health: New research links xylitol to higher heart attack and stroke risk, and GLP-1 demand continues to reshape how drugs reach consumers.

Indiana Tech & Workforce: Purdue Fort Wayne opened a new $25M music industry center, adding recording studios, editing suites, and audio labs to help students build careers in today’s music business. Public Tech in Indiana: Indiana BMV is preparing to launch mobile driver’s licenses, with potential uses for age checks, banking ID, and traffic stops—while privacy and tracking concerns are already on the table. Health Tech & Policy: A Reuters analysis finds newborn vitamin K shot refusals jumped 57% in 2026, raising risk of severe bleeding; the report links the rise to broader vaccine mistrust. Biotech/Research: Telix completed enrollment in its Phase 3 BiPASS prostate cancer imaging study and aligned with the FDA on an NDA pathway to expand access to 68Ga-PSMA-PET. Agriculture Science: Purdue researchers report a new soybean nodulation mechanism that could boost yields and resilience, pointing to future gene-editing-style improvements. Logistics Automation: GEODIS says it improved warehouse throughput in Plainfield, Ind., by redesigning workflows around autonomous mobile robots instead of just adding tech. Privacy & Surveillance: A former Jackson County deputy was charged for allegedly misusing Flock license-plate camera searches to stalk a girlfriend. STEM Education: Rose-Hulman’s new residence hall earned WELL Bronze certification, and its Fowler Academic Building received an AIA Indiana sustainable design award.

Indiana Courts & Elections: Indiana voters will decide in November whether to retain three Court of Appeals judges (Mary A. DeBoer, Paul A. Felix, Dana J. Kenworthy) and an Indiana Tax Court judge (Justin L. McAdam), with the Supreme Court’s Office of Judicial Administration posting a retention site featuring bios, oral-argument videos, and written opinions. Higher Ed After IUPUI Split: A new report looks at how the IU Indianapolis–Purdue Indianapolis split still shows up in student culture and routines, including “which doors to use” at shared facilities. Indiana Tech Spotlight: Indiana Tech professor Wenjia “Jia” Cai won the university’s 2026 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation, highlighting active learning and bringing AI literacy into the psychology curriculum. Semiconductors & Defense Industry: Rolls-Royce says it completed a decade-long $1B investment in Indianapolis manufacturing and testing, expanding engine test capacity in Indiana and West Lafayette. Life Sciences Jobs: Indiana’s life sciences push gets a boost as RayzeBio announces a $173M investment and 100 new jobs tied to radiopharmaceutical growth. Public Safety Tech: Indiana’s use of Flock surveillance cameras continues to draw scrutiny, including policy changes after officer-related concerns. Healthcare Data Security: CareCloud disclosed a major breach affecting 3.75M people, involving potential exposure of sensitive personal and health data. Newborn Health: A Reuters analysis says vitamin K shot refusals jumped more than 57% in early 2026, raising concerns about preventable bleeding risks.

Indiana Tech & Industry: Gov. Braun marked major manufacturing wins: a $1B Rolls-Royce investment in Indianapolis and a SK hynix HBM packaging fab groundbreaking in West Lafayette, part of a $4B semiconductor push. Life Sciences: Braun also announced RayzeBio’s $173M expansion in central Indiana, aiming to grow radiopharmaceutical capacity and add up to 100 jobs by 2029, while Lilly agreed to buy Merida Biosciences for up to $2.875B to advance autoimmune and allergic disease treatments. AI, Power, and Pricing: A new wave of scrutiny targets how AI and big tech affect costs—New Jersey is setting rules so data centers pay for grid upgrades, and California lawmakers consider banning “surveillance pricing,” as the FTC and 22 states sue Amazon over alleged hidden ad surcharges. Public Safety Tech: Indiana’s school safety board approved nearly $27M for 499 projects, including resource officers and tech/hardware, while multiple Indiana-area stories keep spotlighting Flock license plate readers—New Paris detailed its use, Shively tightened audits after misuse allegations, and Fort Wayne will discontinue its program. Policy & Research: An IU study found traumatic brain injury support and post-release services can sharply cut return-to-prison rates.

Semiconductors in Indiana: SK hynix broke ground at Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette on a $4B+ advanced HBM packaging hub, with CEO Kwak Noh-Jung warning the global memory shortage won’t ease meaningfully until at least the end of 2030. AI + policy pressure: A Politico report says the Trump administration is weighing “Phase 2” semiconductor tariff expansion that could hit a wider range of AI hardware just as the fab tax credit deadline nears, leaving companies stuck on whether to build in the U.S. Surveillance tech scrutiny: A USA TODAY investigation found law enforcement employees in multiple states were investigated for misusing Flock Safety license-plate cameras, and Flock reportedly changed software to make future public review harder; in Indiana, Shively is set to announce new Flock restrictions after allegations of thousands of unauthorized searches. Education + tech workforce: RECF and Robolink are expanding their student drone competition partnership, signaling growing demand for career-connected drone education. Research recognition: Purdue is accepting nominations for its 2026 Excellence in Research Awards (deadline Dec. 1). Public health + tech: Versiti is moving its blood center to Dayton’s Tech Town campus, expanding donor stations and mobile collection operations.