Missouri’s weapon in the AI race with China: KC tech companies, says GOP lawmaker
October 16, 2025 | Taylor Wilmore
As artificial intelligence reshapes the way Kansas City works, civic and elected leaders want to ensure small businesses and the region’s tech community have seats at the table. Federal regulation could help, said Eric Schmitt.
“For me, [it’s about] making sure that the big tech companies don’t block out a lot of the innovators, say smaller tech or little tech, so they have a place,” U.S. Sen. Schmitt, R-Missouri, told a group of local tech stakeholders Tuesday during a Tech and AI Roundtable event at H&R Block headquarters. “That’s the kind of innovation and competition that’s going to make us win this really important AI race with China.”
The discussion, hosted by the KC Tech Council, centered on how artificial intelligence is already impacting industries of all sizes — from small businesses to global companies — while also raising new challenges in workforce readiness, energy demands, and data security.
“There’s a lot of innovation happening in Kansas City, which is great, and that bodes well for the workforce of the future,” Schmitt said. “This is making sure that Kansas City, Missouri, can benefit from this AI boom that we’re seeing that’s going to make people more productive.”
Balancing limits with opportunity
U.S. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
As the group explored potential AI-related policies at the federal and state levels, both Schmitt and Kara Lowe, CEO of KC Tech Council, voiced concern over fragmented regulation. Lowe highlighted how state-by-state policies could disproportionately burden smaller companies.
“The encumbrance on small and mid-sized companies is greater than in some cases those that are large companies that have large compliance teams,” she said. “It continues to be an ever-complex patchwork.”
Schmitt agreed that consistent federal oversight is key.
“It’s probably important for the federal government to come in and preempt this,” he said. “Can you imagine Kansas has one set of rules for AI and Missouri has another? That’s not going to work.”
Workforce and the future of learning
Education and workforce development were also key topics, with Schmitt calling for a shift toward lifelong learning to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy.
“This idea that you’re going to learn everything you need to know for the rest of your life in four years before your degree is kind of an outdated model,” he said. “Making sure we have lifetime learners, AI can play a role in that.”
Lowe echoed the importance of aligning education with business needs, pointing to the KC TechBridge, an initiative that is building a stronger, employer-led tech talent pipeline in Kansas City, as a step forward.
“We’re embarking on a project to bring together the needs of the business community and put a lens on our education and training space when it comes to tech jobs,” she said.
U.S. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, and Kara Lowe, CEO of KC Tech Council, chat during a roundtable conversation AI and tech in Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Energy, infrastructure, and national security
AI’s impact reaches beyond the workforce and into national priorities like energy and defense, Schmitt stressed, noting the importance of domestic computing infrastructure and future energy solutions.
“We have to have the processing ability here in this country,” he said. “Our energy needs over the next five to 10 years are going to be astronomically higher than they are right now. So what are those energy sources that are cheap that we could do? It’s small, modular, nuclear reactors.”
Lowe noted that Kansas City’s legacy in engineering and construction could help position the region for continued leadership in these areas.
“We kind of have this almost central nervous system here in this region,” she said. “And I think it is a competitive advantage.”
Both Schmitt and Lowe agreed that Kansas City’s combination of innovation, technical talent, and cross-industry collaboration makes it well-positioned to lead in the nation’s AI-driven future.
“It’s an exciting time,” Schmitt said. “There’s immense opportunity, and Kansas City is well-situated to be a leader.”
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
LISTEN: Gripp helps farmers get a handle on multiple ag apps with dead-simple record keeping platform
On this episode of our 12-part Plug and Play Topeka podcast series, we explore how agtech startup Gripp is bringing structure and simplicity to farm operations. Its helps farmers connect their teams, track equipment and assets, and turn everyday routines into shared knowledge. Having grown up on a Wisconsin farm, co-founder and CEO Tracey Wiedmeyer…
A St. Joe CEO handed him a franchise after graduation; two years later, the risk is paying off
Spencer Engelman’s expectations for his post-college career were shredded by an offer he couldn’t refuse. The Northwest Missouri State University graduate was awarded a business of his own — minus the franchise fee — by a veteran entrepreneur who had visited one of his classes. “It’s a crazy opportunity,” said Engelman, who now operates a DocuLock…
What a catch: Kansas City fandom creates custom appeal for taco-loving cartoonist vibe
Drawing from Kansas City’s spotlight moments — whether trendy and new or iconic and timeless — W. Dave Keith balances a quirky aesthetic with a practical focus on what will actually sell. “I’ve slowly learned that if I want to make money off this business, I need to make stuff that people want to buy,”…
Power through purpose: How a winding journey led this eco devo steward to deep-rooted impact
Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. [divide] Going behind the scenes of CCED with the people who make it happen Some people are drawn to city-building because of the bricks and steel, the architecture, the skyline, the…