The Role of Economic Developers in Adapting to AI
The Role of Economic Developers in Adapting to AI
As AI continues to be integrated in the economic development sector, it is growing increasingly important for economic development professionals to develop a working understanding of the technology and its practical applications.
Amy Fesser | Executive
Director at Borger, Inc.
“The biggest hindrance is not knowing how to use it and when to use it,” said Amy Fesser, Executive Director of Boger Economic Development Corp.
Fesser, who has a background in IT and software development, emphasized a foundational principle for effective AI adoption: know what to ask and understand what you need. AI can improve operational efficiency and streamline workflows, but only if an EDO understands how to use it effectively. For many economic development organizations, the learning curve remains steep, and many economic developers have struggled to understand how to formulate prompts, how to follow up on AI-generated information, and how to recognize both the opportunities and limitations associated with AI tools.
One of the many benefits of AI is its ability to reduce costs while accelerating project development. Fesser uses AI in many ways, but one of the most helpful is site visualization. By uploading an image of a building into an AI platform, she can generate conceptual redesigns tailored to specific uses. She can then present preliminary concepts to site selectors, allowing for faster and more cost-effective project exploration, all for the cost of a monthly subscription.
As EDOs evaluate AI integration strategies, identifying organizational needs and workflow requirements is critical. EDOs must understand their workflows and existing processes to identify areas that could benefit from AI-driven automation.
“You have to communicate what your specific need is, how you pull the data, and then how you need it to populate in several different areas so that you’re not duplicating work,” Fesser said. “You really need to sit down and say ‘Hey, if you can take these five steps out of my month, that's what I need built into my system.’”
From a technology development perspective, software providers must invest time in understanding the workflow of their clients. This enables them to develop AI solutions that complement and enhance a client's existing business processes.
“There has to be a component of the software that molds to people’s workflow,” said Fesser. “It has to be agile enough to fit their workflow.”