AGP Executive Report

Public Safety & Tech Oversight: Macon-Bibb commissioners weigh renewed funding for Flock Safety license-plate cameras amid privacy and surveillance concerns, as supporters argue the tools help investigations. Healthcare Fraud: Georgia AG Chris Carr announced criminal and civil action against a Cobb County lab owner alleging false genetic testing claims to Medicaid, targeting schemes that bypass legitimate orders. Public Health & Research: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Tech are building an opt-in AI tool to flag teen mental-health declines based on social media patterns, with teen recruitment underway. Data Centers & Water: Statesboro approved new data center rules after debate over water use, AI impacts, and local control; the ordinance sets a review process and bars hyperscale facilities. Climate & Infrastructure: Google pledged to replenish more water than it uses by 2030 as data centers expand, highlighting water stewardship as a core infrastructure issue. Agriculture Biosecurity: Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper issued enhanced animal movement requirements after New World Screwworm was detected in Texas. Archaeology: Savannah History Museum unveiled 17 Revolutionary War cannons recovered from the Savannah River, now headed for display ahead of July 4. STEM Education: Georgia Cyber Center hosted a cybersecurity workshop for teachers, aiming to align classroom learning with employer needs.

Public-Sector AI Governance: Georgia Technology Authority selected Darwin AI to help move statewide AI from pilots to broader use, focusing on governance, security, and compliance across agencies. Health Fraud Crackdown: DOJ launched a state-federal partnership to fight health care and consumer fraud, with Georgia included in enhanced CMS oversight tied to a surge in hospice providers. World Cup Public Health: U.S. public health officials are ramping up outbreak planning for the World Cup’s multi-city, cross-border crowds, with Atlanta-area leaders warning especially about heat and humidity. World Cup Turf Science: A turfgrass researcher is overseeing the grass replacement effort for World Cup venues, including domed stadiums where sunlight limits make field consistency harder. Local School Funding Vote: DeKalb County schools advanced an E-SPLOST VII proposal that would renew a 1% education sales tax and authorize up to $500M in bonds for capital projects. Payments Tech in Atlanta: Valor PayTech and LANDI Global announced a strategic partnership to bring LANDI’s Android-based payment and POS devices into Valor’s U.S. ecosystem. Data Center Water Pressure: A new report highlights rancher and rural concerns that data center growth could strain local water supplies, especially in the American West. Community Health Access: Augusta University nurses held a rural health fair in Dearing with screenings and mental health and addiction resources. STEM & Skills Training: Cobb County educators are set for a STEM-A-Palooza, while Georgia career-tech students continue stacking SkillsUSA wins.

MARTA Safety Crackdown: After back-to-back stabbings on Atlanta’s rail system, the federal government has launched an investigation and is giving MARTA just 15 days to submit an action plan on security spending, safety protocols, and fare-evasion enforcement—riders are split between “it’s fine” and “we need more officers now.” Wildlife & Agriculture Threat: Georgia wildlife officials say an Argentine black-and-white tegu has established a wild population in Toombs and Tattnall counties, prompting urgent assessment and eradication efforts to protect native animals and crops. Public Health Research: Augusta University researchers report inhaled CBD reduced neuroinflammation and improved memory-related behavior in a mouse Alzheimer’s model, supporting an autoinflammation angle for future therapies. STEM in the Classroom: Cobb County educators are gathering for STEM-A-Palooza with hands-on stations like 3D printing, heat presses, monitoring tools, and lasers, plus grant-writing help. Workforce Training: Greenville Tech’s Center for Welding and Automation Excellence is set to open this fall, expanding welding training and AWS certification testing to meet skilled-labor demand. Tech & Connectivity: T-Mobile rolled out Dynamic CX, using AI to optimize network performance for large live events as crowd demand shifts in near real time. Local Business Tech: Doeren Mayhew acquired Atlanta-based Griffin Global Technologies to expand software development and AI automation capabilities. Policy Watch: Georgia corn producers voted to keep the Corn Commission marketing assessment at one cent per bushel through 2029 to fund education, promotion, and research.

World Cup Tech & Commerce: A new Action Network report projects Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium could sell about 1.34 million beers across eight matches, generating roughly $8.7M in stadium beer revenue. Public Transit Safety: The U.S. Transportation Department ordered a Federal Transit Administration investigation into MARTA’s security spending and safety protocols after two stabbings, including the fatal May 30 attack on Margaret Swan; MARTA has 15 days to respond. Heat Risk Research: Emory researchers warn World Cup visitors about Atlanta’s humidity and dehydration risk, citing a pilot study that found kidney dysfunction signals rising as conditions warmed; they’re also developing a dehydration-detecting biopatch with Georgia Tech. Healthcare Investment: Kain Capital is partnering with RadX to expand its multistate outpatient imaging footprint and invest in radiology talent and technology. Port Automation: Georgia Ports Authority rolled out facial recognition at Garden City Terminal Gate 3 inbound lanes to speed trucker gate processing. AI & Security: A new phishing-cost study finds AI defenses help teams handle incidents faster, but AI-generated attacks raise overall cost and workload. Data Center Backlash: A national roundup highlights growing local moratoriums and bans over data centers’ water, power, noise, and waste impacts.

Pediatric Design & Care: A new piece argues that “positive distraction” in pediatric healthcare spaces can reduce anxiety by creating a sense of normalcy, improving privacy and sound control, and helping families cope during stressful visits. Gene Therapy in Georgia: IDefine and UT Southwestern announced a two-year research collaboration led by Steven Gray to explore EHMT1 gene replacement therapy for Kleefstra syndrome, using next-gen CNS-targeted delivery tech. Georgia Health Tech: Northeast Georgia Health System’s lung cancer resection program earned “Better Than Expected” ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, with robotic surgery now used for all resections since June 2023. Public Health Data: Researchers created a prevention gap index for HIV across Southern counties, highlighting where testing and PrEP availability lag behind need—Georgia is noted among the highest-rate states. Energy & Data Centers: A report says some states are eyeing nuclear power to feed data-center growth, but warns taxpayers could be on the hook given massive cost and long timelines. AI & Policy: Coverage highlights the “political geography” of AI exposure and how AI regulation fears are shaping voter attitudes ahead of November. Georgia Tech Spotlight: A Georgia Tech PhD student won his first WSOP cash and a bracelet, turning a first payout into a $346K win.

Shrimp Sourcing Scrutiny: A SeaD Consulting genetic test of Savannah restaurants found 13 of 22 claiming “American wild-caught” shrimp were actually sold from outside U.S. waters, though results slightly improved from last year; a Georgia labeling bill passed in May may push authenticity higher. Public Health Through Play: In metro Atlanta, table tennis is being used as physical therapy for people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke recovery, with local chapters tied to the “PingPong Parkinson” model. Walkability Funding Push: Sandy Springs is accelerating sidewalk and path construction, boosting its 2026 TSPLOST sidewalk budget to $16 million and exploring right-of-way coordination and staffing to speed projects. Water + Data Centers: Google announced new water-stewardship commitments tied to data-center expansion, including $17 million for projects in multiple states and leak-detection upgrades in Nebraska. Georgia Agriculture: Georgia pecan growers voted to continue the Georgia Pecan Commission marketing order through 2029, keeping the assessment rate at $0.01 per pound for qualifying acreage. Tech in Medicine: Reuters reports ASCO results on GammaTile, an implanted radiation tile for brain metastases that showed lower regrowth rates than standard care.

Georgia Tech & Shriners AI in surgery: Georgia Tech and Shriners Children’s are developing an AI tool to help predict risky spinal cord changes during pediatric spinal operations, aiming to warn surgeons and support decisions like blood pressure management and whether procedures should be staged. Atlanta AI governance: The Atlanta Artificial Intelligence Commission has finished its work, releasing a final report with recommendations for how the city should adopt AI responsibly, including bias and harm reduction and equity checks in procurement. Startup ecosystem spotlight: Georgia’s startup ecosystem was added to Dealroom’s global map via a partnership announced by the state’s innovation agency, positioning Georgia for a more unified view of its tech scene. Cancer research updates: At ASCO 2026, new results highlighted alpha-emitting radioligand therapy work in prostate cancer (CONV01-α) and, in breast cancer, an ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19 post-hoc analysis found sacituzumab govitecan plus pembrolizumab improved PFS2 versus chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab in PD-L1+ mTNBC. Public health & environment: UGA researchers report multiple pathogens in wild snakes across Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, raising extinction concerns; Georgia DNR also warns about invasive Argentine tegus/tegu lizards in southeast Georgia. Local tech & safety: MARTA pushed back new railcar passenger service due to ongoing testing and safety certifications. Food transparency: Genetic shrimp testing in Savannah and other Gulf markets found continued mislabeling of imported shrimp despite some improvements.

Public Safety Tech: Roswell cut the ribbon on a new $10.6M E-911 Emergency Communications Center, expanding communications tech and integrating access to state systems for police and fire response. Wildlife Conservation: Georgia DNR opened a month-long window for public nominations to update the state’s Protected Species List after 20 years, with changes aimed at aligning state status with federal conservation needs. Healthcare Access: Grady South Emergency Department opened in Union City (24/7), adding 16 exam rooms plus imaging, pharmacy, and lab services as the area continues rebuilding after hospital closures. AI & Data Centers: A new national tracking effort led by Erin Brockovich spotlights the real-world footprint of AI data center growth and the conflicts it triggers in communities. AI Governance for Businesses: Eclipse Networks urged SMBs to audit infrastructure and set AI governance before adopting new AI tools, warning that both criminals and employees are using AI in ways that outpace safeguards. Research & Medicine: Emory named cardiologist Puja K. Mehta to an endowed professorship focused on women and cardiovascular disease, strengthening Georgia’s biomedical research pipeline. Environment & Fisheries: ASMFC’s latest red drum assessment says Georgia’s southern stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring, setting up likely rule changes to reduce harvest pressure. Local Industry: ArcelorMittal Building Solutions announced plans for a North American HQ and manufacturing in Macon-Bibb, targeting new jobs and energy-efficient building systems. Sports Tech/Community: Atlanta is weighing a permanent AI Advisory Board after its AI Commission’s recommendations, aiming for responsible, transparent city AI use.

Georgia Tech & Pediatric Care: Georgia Tech and Shriners Children’s are building a first-of-its-kind AI tool to help surgeons predict risky spinal cord changes during pediatric spinal procedures, aiming to reduce injury and improve decision-making. Coastal Resilience: Georgia Tech’s “Georgia’s Tomorrow” project was selected for Revive & Restore’s inaugural Climate Resilience Fund cohort to restore salt marshes using AI-enabled micropropagation and plant probiotics. Public Health & Food Access: New data show SNAP cuts are stripping food support from millions nationwide, with Black, Latino, and Native American households hit hardest. Child Health Coverage: Reports highlight rising uninsured rates among young children in states including Georgia and Texas, raising concerns about early-care access. Local Infrastructure: Chattanooga is pushing major wastewater upgrades at Moccasin Bend to cut sewage odors and improve treatment after years of consent-decree work. STEM for Kids: Coweta STEM Institute, UWG Newnan, and Keep Newnan Beautiful are running summer camps mixing robotics, engineering, and environmental learning. Energy & Regulation: Georgia PSC candidates debated how data centers could affect electricity costs and what regulators should demand from utilities. Business & Jobs: ArcelorMittal Building Solutions announced a North American HQ and new manufacturing facility in Macon-Bibb, with tens of millions in investment and up to 70 jobs. Research & Learning: UGA Extension is hosting a winter-insect survival program, and Georgia Tech research facilities reported gas/chemical leak alarms with all-clear updates.

Georgia Tech & AI in Medicine: Shriners Children’s and Georgia Tech are partnering on a first-of-its-kind AI tool to predict dangerous spinal cord signal changes during pediatric surgery, aiming to prevent problems before they happen. Workforce & Skills Training: Thousands of students and professionals are in Atlanta for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, with Georgia competitors and industry workshops spotlighting robotics, IT, healthcare, and more. Data Centers vs. Power Bills: Georgia Power and other utilities argue data centers could lower electricity bills by spreading fixed costs, but regulators and advocates want proof—especially whether new demand forces costly grid upgrades. State Policy on Data Centers: Tennessee moved to curb rising utility costs tied to data centers, requiring owners to cover infrastructure needs and protecting residential rates; the fight is now about how similar rules could land elsewhere. Local Tech & Privacy: A report on Flock Safety highlights growing privacy backlash over license-plate tracking, with cities weighing contract rollbacks amid civil liberties concerns. Business Moves in Georgia: Gov. Kemp announced ArcelorMittal Building Solutions is bringing its North American HQ and a new Macon-Bibb manufacturing facility, touting $57M in investment and up to 70 jobs. Education Governance: A guide for K-12 districts urges AI guardrails built on tool inventories, privacy checks, and training—because student AI use is already widespread.

Smart Hospitals in Georgia: CommonSpirit Memorial Hospital North Georgia highlights how “smart,” data-driven workflows and Epic integration are cutting admin burden so clinicians can focus on patients. Transit Tech in Atlanta: MARTA resumes fare collection as new Breeze fare gates fully activate systemwide, closing previously open gates and requiring tap payments via cards, mobile wallets, or new Breeze cards. Wildlife Threat in Southeast Georgia: Georgia DNR documents 20+ invasive Argentine black-and-white tegus in Toombs and Tattnall counties, warning they eat eggs of native ground-nesting birds and could spread parasites; officials are pushing trapping and public reporting. Georgia Tech Safety Response: Multiple reports describe Georgia Tech research facilities being evacuated after possible chemical concerns (including fluorine), followed by all-clear updates. Energy & Industry Growth: RevaTerra’s AI-powered bioenergy co-founders join New York Tech Week as clean energy manufacturing expands nationwide, with a new report tallying hundreds of active clean energy facilities and major job impacts. STEM Leadership for Youth: Muscogee County School District JROTC launches a Georgia/Alabama cadet leadership challenge featuring robotics, drones, and medical science training. Public Safety Robotics: Atlanta Police say a human-piloted robotic security system helped stop a vehicle break-in at an apartment complex. Health & Aging Research: UGA-linked findings tie higher BMI over time to faster cognitive decline, while weight management appears to slow the rate.

Georgia Tech & Public Safety: Georgia Tech evacuated a research facility twice this week after reports of a possible fluorine leak and a separate gas alarm; both incidents ended with all-clear updates. Wildlife Health: A University of Georgia study found multiple pathogens are spreading among wild snakes in the Southeast, with Salmonella common and fungal disease hitting pygmy rattlesnakes hardest—raising extinction concerns for vulnerable species. Community Health Access: In south Cobb and Douglas counties, churches are hosting blood pressure monitoring stations to help close healthcare gaps, backed by Wellstar and the American Heart Association. Science Literacy Push: One op-ed argues for putting R&D labels on everyday products to boost public understanding of research and development. Mosquito Control Research: New lab work suggests mosquitoes may learn to associate DEET with food, potentially undermining repellent effectiveness. World Cup Tech & Privacy: A Georgia Tech–UC report flags Yoti’s age-verification approach as collecting more device data than needed and sharing it with outside parties. Local Tech/EV: Georgia Tech students took first place at the EcoCAR EV Challenge, highlighting hands-on electric vehicle engineering.

World Cup Heat Risk: Players and researchers warn the 2026 FIFA World Cup could face unsafe conditions as extreme heat and humidity rise, with calls for stronger protections for athletes and fans. Privacy & Age Checks: A new report from Georgia Tech and UC finds the Yoti age-verification system collects more device data than needed and shares it with less-visible partners, raising tracking concerns for major platforms. Mosquito Research in Georgia Tech Labs: Georgia Tech researchers report mosquitoes can learn to associate DEET with feeding, suggesting repellents may not always work as expected. Data Centers in the Crosshairs: Whitfield County’s EPD is reviewing air permits for Core Scientific backup diesel generators tied to local data center plans, while Statesboro is holding another public hearing after changes to its ordinance. Georgia Tech Safety Incidents: Multiple reports describe evacuations at Georgia Tech research facilities tied to possible chemical leaks, followed by all-clear updates. STEM & Student Recognition: Georgia names 316 AP Honor Schools statewide, including multiple Whitfield-area schools recognized for access, support, challenge, and STEM performance. EV Challenge Win: Georgia Tech’s EcoCAR EV Challenge team takes first place after GM testing, highlighting student progress in connected and automated driving.

Georgia Tech EV win: Georgia Tech’s EcoCAR EV Challenge team took first place after four years of redesigning a 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ, scoring highest in connected driving and demonstrating automatic parking. AI in healthcare: Tanner Health (west Georgia/east Alabama) went live with Hyro’s bilingual AI voice assistant “Clara” to cut call-center hold times and handle tasks like scheduling and prescription requests. Data center pushback: Statesboro City Council will hold a second public hearing on a downscaled data centers ordinance, including a ban on “hyperscale” sites larger than 50 acres. Airport tech upgrade: Hartsfield-Jackson unveiled a new South Parking Deck adding 6,429 deck spaces plus 1,197 in the South Economy Lot, with a red/green space guidance system and expanded AI-assisted camera coverage. Fertilizer squeeze: USDA reports urea fertilizer prices nearly doubled since February, with researchers pointing to strategies like fertigation and nitrogen timing to reduce waste. Public safety tech: Fayette County warned residents about card skimmers at dollar stores, urging tap-to-pay and immediate reporting. Waymo expansion: Waymo will deploy a purpose-built robotaxi, the Ojai, for supervised-free rides in select cities, starting with limited riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

Georgia Tech Safety Response: Atlanta Fire Rescue evacuated a Georgia Tech research facility after an industrial gas alarm tied to a possible fluorine leak near a gas cabinet; crews set up a safety perimeter, ran atmospheric monitoring and decontamination readiness, then cleared the scene with no injuries reported. Wildlife & Ecosystems: Georgia DNR is investigating suspected illegal smallmouth bass stocking in Lake Allatoona after biologists pulled at least one bass; officials warn invasive releases can disrupt native fisheries and ask anglers not to throw caught bass back. Agriculture Tech: UGA researchers unveiled a machine-learning “taste tester” to speed peanut flavor breeding by reducing reliance on slow, expensive human sensory panels. Food & Industry: USDA’s Great American Cotton Plan highlights demand growth efforts like Plant Not Plastic and producer risk research, including USDA Agricultural Research Service work supporting UGA-led jassid studies. AI Infrastructure & Water: A new mapping effort flags data centers under construction in drought-prone areas, raising concerns about water use as AI buildouts accelerate. Local Science Spotlight: The Georgia Sea Turtle Center released “Earl Grey,” a rare first-generation hybrid sea turtle, back into the Atlantic after rehabilitation. STEM/Community: Geostat reports only 25.8% of Georgia enterprises used social media in 2025, while 94.9% had internet access. Crypto Watch (Georgia-linked): DTCC collateral eligibility chatter sparked XRP/XLM market panic, with analysts framing it as operational list noise rather than a true delisting.

World Cup Tech & Security: The FAA is setting strict no-drone zones around 2026 FIFA World Cup stadiums and fan events, with the FBI backing enforcement in Atlanta. Public Health Monitoring: Georgia is expanding wastewater testing ahead of the World Cup, using lab work at the Georgia Public Health Laboratory to track pathogens across metro counties. K-12 Safety Tech: Five Georgia high schools will pilot pepper-spray tactical drones for active-shooter response, launching from in-school boxes and flown by an operator. Energy & Regulation: The Georgia Public Service Commission approved Georgia Power’s fuel-cost recovery plan that keeps automatic pass-throughs to ratepayers, rejecting proposals to hold back uneconomic coal dispatch. AI & Privacy/Legal Risk: A federal ruling says communications with AI chatbots about legal cases aren’t protected by attorney-client privilege. Biomedical Research: UGA researchers report cancer screening gaps in Georgia’s federally qualified health centers, with lower-resource areas lagging. Neurotech Demo: Noland Arbaugh showcased Neuralink brain-computer interface control of physical chess pieces at a robotics summit. Environment & Conservation: A rare hybrid sea turtle was released back to the Atlantic after months of rehab at Georgia’s Sea Turtle Center. Local Governance: Roswell voted to end a consulting contract tied to economic development planning, moving work in-house.