Today, Heartland Forward, in partnership with edtech company Stemuli, launched a partnership to develop an AI-powered learning platform to help rural students and entrepreneurs learn the AI skills they need to succeed in tomorrow’s economy. Announced on stage at Heartland Forward’s flagship event, the Heartland Summit, the partnership will deliver geographically relevant, gamified AI training directly to rural students and entrepreneurs in the heartland.
Within five years, AI is projected to automate 30% of tasks across most jobs, making AI literacy a critical component of career readiness. Stemuli’s immersive platform will help prepare students for the change by delivering personalized AI education that blends the engagement of gaming with the utility of a career coach.
“AI literacy is emerging as a fundamental skill for our next-generation workforce, and we must ensure heartland students and entrepreneurs are prepared for the future of the AI economy,” said Angie Cooper, president and COO at Heartland Forward. “This initiative represents a critical step towards empowering people in the heartland with the tools and skills they need to increase economic opportunity and carve successful career paths.”
The personalized, immersive curriculum guides rural students and entrepreneurs through six core areas: large language models (LLM) 101, machine learning, prompting skills, AI in the workplace, AI in finance and elective modules aligned with specific career paths.
“AI is evolving faster than ever, reshaping the future of work in real time,” said Taylor Shead, founder and CEO of Stemuli. “Our AI-native game engine equips learners with the tools they need to stay ahead of this era of transformation. We’re redefining workforce readiness– starting with delivering education that is accessible, immersive and aligned with how Gen Alpha and Gen Z learn best.”
Learners complete interactive “quests” that build essential AI literacy skills and connect directly to employer needs across key heartland industries. By continuously updating its curriculum based on real-world data and employer feedback, Stemuli ensures every student stays aligned with the workforce of tomorrow.
Stemuli’s platform has already driven measurable outcomes in diverse education systems across the country:
- At P-TECH, the world’s largest early college high school in Dallas County—where two-thirds of young adults earn below a livable wage—students using Stemuli graduated with average earnings between $60,000 and $70,000, significantly outpacing their peers’ $46,000 average.
- In partnership with Stride, the nation’s largest online education provider, Stemuli transformed a library of 672 K-12 courses into immersive gaming experiences for 300,000 students, leading to gains in math proficiency, time-on-task and college and career readiness.
- Stemuli has also supported statewide initiatives like Georgia’s digital agriculture career pathways, helping the Georgia Department of Education assess and grow measurable workforce skills among K-12 learners. These outcomes underscore Stemuli’s ability to scale rapidly, deliver equity-focused learning and connect students to real economic opportunity.
The initiative builds on Heartland Forward’s commitment to strengthening the talent pipeline across the region through investments in education, workforce development and digital access. From transforming career pathways across the heartland through its Connecting the Heartland Jobs Board to advancing new models of upskilling, the organization continues to prioritize long-term economic mobility for communities in the middle of the country.
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