WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, DC is demonstrating how artificial intelligence can be deployed responsibly and at scale to deliver real workforce and economic outcomes for residents, employers, and the regional economy.
At CES 2026, the District showcased how AI is being used today—moving beyond pilots to fully deployed systems that strengthen the District’s talent supply chain, support business growth, and improve access to jobs, training, and career pathways.
Led by members of the Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium, including the Department of Employment Services (DOES), the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME), the District showcased how AI is operating as core public infrastructure to improve access to jobs, training, and career pathways.
“DC showed what responsible innovation looks like—government, business, startups, and advocates working together,” said Dr. Unique Morris Hughes, Director of the DC Department of Employment Services. “AI is now infrastructure, not a pilot, and it only works when humans remain firmly at the center. At CES what stood out was how DC came together—public agencies, tech leaders, startups, nonprofits, and disability advocates—speaking with one voice. AI and quantum technologies are becoming core infrastructure, but the real measure of success is whether we design and deploy them with people at the center.”
With more than 148,000 attendees from over 60 countries, CES 2026 provided a global platform for Washington, DC to demonstrate leadership in using AI to modernize workforce systems while strengthening the District’s position as a competitive place to grow and retain businesses.
Delivering Results for Residents and Employers
Through SkillsNation and TalentCapital.ai—technology built and operated by workforce-technology company BuildWithin—AI is actively supporting residents across Washington, DC, by mapping live labor-market demand, identifying skill-based opportunities, and guiding individuals toward jobs and training aligned with their experience and goals.
To date:
- 100,000+ residents and jobseekers have engaged with TalentCapital.ai
- 80,000+ AI-driven matches have been generated across jobs, training programs, and career pathways
- Opportunities are refreshed continuously across a multi-state workforce ecosystem
These systems replace static job boards and manual matching with real-time labor-market intelligence—helping residents discover opportunities they might not otherwise see, while enabling employers to more efficiently find and retain skilled talent critical to business growth.
“As workforce and education systems evolve, AI gives us practical tools to better align learning with real labor-market demand across our region,” said Paul Kihn, Deputy Mayor for Education. “What we showed at CES is how those tools are already improving outcomes for residents today.”
A Coordinated, Responsible Approach to AI
DC’s CES 2026 presence highlighted coordinated leadership across workforce, education, economic development, and technology to ensure AI deployment delivers public value.
The District’s approach is focused on:
- Expanding access to jobs and career mobility
- Improving the speed and quality of government service delivery
- Supporting employers in high-growth sectors such as AI, quantum, and advanced technology
- Embedding governance, transparency, and accountability into AI systems from the start
“Economic growth depends on talent,” said Nina Albert, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. “By deploying AI across workforce and economic development systems, we’re ensuring residents are ready for the industries driving our future economy. At the same time, we’re creating an ecosystem where businesses can access world-class talent, cutting-edge resources, and a collaborative environment that turns innovation into opportunity.”
“Our goal is not experimentation—it’s reliable, responsible operation at scale,” said Stephen N. Miller, Chief Technology Officer for Washington, DC. “At CES, we showed how AI can function as secure, governed public infrastructure that improves how government serves people.”
Setting a National Standard
CES 2026 reinforced Washington, DC’s role as a national leader in workforce and economic innovation—demonstrating how public agencies can partner with technology providers to deploy AI responsibly and deliver measurable outcomes for residents, employers, and the broader economy.
“Through projects like Talent Capital, the District is leading the way in harnessing the power of AI for the public good,” said Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. “It’s a great example of how our members and partners across DC, Maryland, and Virginia are focused on keeping our talented workforce within our region and shaping a more resilient economy.”
As interest accelerates across AI, quantum, and other frontier technologies, the District’s message was clear: innovation matters most when it improves people’s lives.
“BuildWithin is proud to serve as a technology partner to government entities and private sector organizations that are focused on delivering outcomes for people,” said Dr. Ximena Gates, CEO of BuildWithin. “Through platforms such as TalentCapital and SkillsNation, we are applying AI to modernize workforce systems and support opportunity at scale. AI is transforming every industry, and workforce infrastructure must evolve alongside it.”
Washington, DC is moving beyond discussion to delivery, using AI to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for residents and support economic growth.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Philip Minardi
[email protected]
(708)574-4075
