PIKESVILLE, Md. (WBFF) — Gov. Wes Moore says Maryland workers have reason to be concerned about artificial intelligence. But as his administration pushes to make the state a leader in the technology, it has yet to spell out what it would do if AI begins eliminating Maryland jobs.
Pressed by Spotlight on Maryland during his latest “Delivering for Maryland” tour Friday, Moore acknowledged the anxiety surrounding AI while touting its potential to transform public safety, education and health care.
“I think there is a reason for people to be concerned,” Moore said, arguing the public has not received “real proper communication” about the technology.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, told Spotlight on Maryland on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Pikesville, Md., during his “Delivering for Maryland” tour that residents have a reason “to be concerned” about AI. (Ben Otte/WBFF)
When asked a more direct question, “Governor, what is the plan?” Moore did not identify a specific framework for protecting workers whose jobs could be displaced, a threshold that would trigger state intervention or a goal for limiting job losses.
Instead, Moore pointed to the need for “guardrails” and community involvement, while emphasizing that governors must have a role in shaping AI policy.
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That leaves Maryland confronting a central tension in Moore’s AI agenda. The state is spending taxpayer dollars to prepare for and capitalize on the technology while the potential consequences for its workforce remain uncertain.
Moore has outlined a broad AI agenda for the state.
In his February State of the State address before a joint session of the Maryland General Assembly, he described three priorities: supporting workers, using AI to improve public services and ensuring Maryland benefits from AI-driven economic growth.
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His administration also announced $4 million for workforce programs tied to AI and emerging technologies, state records show.
That follows a January 2024 executive order creating an AI Subcabinet and a statewide Responsible AI Policy governing systems used by executive-branch agencies.
BERLIN, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 8: A visitor checks the a model of robot’s hands at the AgiBot booth at the 2026 IFA consumer electronics and appliances trade fair on September 8, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. This year’s IFA includes the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into a wide range of products. (Photo by Omer Messinger/Getty Images)
The state’s 2025 AI roadmap called for an analysis of Maryland industries and occupations most likely to be affected by AI over the next three to five years, outreach to labor leaders and recommendations intended to help workers adapt.
The roadmap listed December 2025 as the target for broader-workforce recommendations. Yet the scale of the threat remains uncertain.
A public research project from the Maryland State Innovation team estimated that 39.6% of Maryland’s workforce is employed in occupations classified as facing high AI automation risk.
Maryland listed highest among the states in its analysis.
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The project used 2023 federal occupation data and large-language models to rate whether AI could perform individual job tasks. That figure does not necessarily mean that 39.6% of Maryland jobs will disappear.
The project calls itself a “preliminary investigation,” says its findings do not represent the administration’s position and measures whether AI can perform tasks within occupations, not whether employers will eliminate those positions.
In July, Maryland awarded $1.23 million through its Lighthouse Industries Upskilling and Reskilling Program to organizations expected to train nearly 600 people in life sciences, technology, aerospace, defense and manufacturing.
Maryland also joined RAISE US, a nonprofit initiative focused on workforce systems for an AI economy.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 10: Maryland Governor Wes Moore (L) and West Hollywood, California, Mayor Chelsea Byers hold a panel discussion about emergency preparedness for natural and man-made disasters during the National League of Cities: Congressional City Conference at the Marriott Marquis on March 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. According to the league, more than 2,000 state and local government officials from across the United States attend the conference to share legislative priorities and policy ideas with members of Congress and the administration and participate in leadership training. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
As chair of the National Governors Association, Moore has been tasked with leading a broader effort with RAISE US to develop state AI policy models. Reports from the NGA said that a roadmap for governors on AI and the future of work is expected in November.
Those programs provide pieces of a workforce response, but in his answer to Spotlight on Maryland, Moore did not specify how many Maryland jobs his administration believes are at risk, which occupations would receive priority intervention, how quickly retraining could scale, or what support would be available to workers whose jobs are eliminated rather than transformed.
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Seeking more clarity, Spotlight on Maryland sent Moore’s office two additional questions on Tuesday from its inquiry:
The governor’s office did not respond to the submitted questions.
Nationally, President Donald Trump has framed artificial intelligence as a competition the United States must win.
His administration’s AI Action Plan also acknowledges that AI will transform work and calls for expanded AI skills training, continued labor-market measurement and new approaches to retraining workers.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order during the “Winning the AI Race” summit hosted by All‑In Podcast and Hill & Valley Forum at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on July 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed executive orders related to his Artificial Intelligence Action Plan during the event. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Moore is making a similar two-sided argument in Maryland: pursue AI’s potential while placing guardrails around it.
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The unresolved issue is how the state’s broad strategy translates into a response if automation begins eliminating jobs faster than training programs can prepare workers for new ones.
Meanwhile, the “Godfather of AI,” Geoffrey Hinton, a British-Canadian computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, has a more direct opinion.
“They [leaders] should be much more concerned about whether humanity will survive it and also whether society will survive it if you get massive unemployment,” Hinton said.
Do you have any tips or information related to this story? Send news tips to gmcollins@sbgtv.com or contact Spotlight on Maryland’s hotline at (410) 467-4670.
Follow Gary Collins on X and Instagram. Spotlight on Maryland is a collaboration between FOX45 News, WJLA in Washington, D.C., and The Baltimore Sun.
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