The Midwest's AI conversation
As artificial intelligence outpaces the institutions meant to govern it, the decisions that matter are no longer only technical. AI in Chicago examines them with the researchers, founders, executives, and policymakers shaping the Midwest's AI economy—hosted by Khullani M. Abdullahi, JD, and published in full, with transcripts and companion analysis.
A full, searchable transcript on every episode.
A companion article distilling each conversation.
Researchers, founders, and policymakers across the Midwest.
Featured episode
Jason Rosensweig discusses why Illinois put AI hiring under the Illinois Human Rights Act rather than a standalone AI statute, how the new notice requirement works as both a compliance hook and data infrastructure, why the 'influence or facilitate' standard gives the law a wide reach, and what employers and AI vendors should do to prepare under HB 3773.
Read transcript & show notes
In this episode, host Khullani Abdullahi speaks with Susana Mendoza, Illinois State Comptroller. They discuss using data and transparency to bring Illinois back from a historic fiscal crisis, what AI means for government and the workforce, and why good governance and a builder's mindset matter for Chicago's future.
In this episode, host Khullani Abdullahi speaks with Brandon Ragle, Illinois State Chief Information Officer and Secretary of the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT). They discuss what it takes to operate AI responsibly across an entire state—identity, data governance, cybersecurity, foundations over hype, and preparing the public-sector workforce for AI.
In this episode, host Khullani Abdullahi speaks with Harley Johnson, PhD, CEO of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). They discuss where AI meets quantum computing, why compute is strategy, how Illinois is building a state-backed deep-tech ecosystem on a former South Side steel site, and what a quantum-ready workforce looks like.
Analysis & field notes
Companion essays and policy analysis that go a level deeper than each episode.
Illinois put AI hiring inside its civil rights act instead of passing a standalone AI statute. Jason Rosensweig, Senior Policy Advisor at IDHR, breaks down the architecture of HB 3773 — the notice requirement, disparate impact, and the 'influence or facilitate' reach — and what employers and AI vendors must do now.
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