Louisiana

Louisiana races to hire AI workers as majority of pilot projects fail

Published

2 months ago

January 8, 2026

Louisiana races to hire AI workers as majority of pilot projects fail

Nearly all corporate artificial intelligence pilot projects fail to deliver measurable business value, according to new research — a finding that comes as Louisiana companies accelerate AI hiring faster than the data workforce needed to support it.

A national analysis by data consultancy DoubleTrack found that 95% of generative AI pilot projects fail to produce measurable profits, a rate that researchers attribute largely to weak data infrastructure rather than shortcomings in AI technology itself.

Despite that failure rate, Louisiana employers are hiring AI specialists far faster than data infrastructure workers. The study found Louisiana companies posted 151% more AI and machine-learning jobs than data infrastructure roles, ranking the state among the most imbalanced AI labor markets in the country.

According to the analysis, Louisiana employers advertised 548 AI-related positions compared with 218 data infrastructure jobs, meaning companies are hiring more than two AI specialists for every data engineer or platform specialist; the reverse of what experts recommend.

According to the study, industry consensus suggests that organizations should hire at least two data infrastructure professionals for every AI specialist to ensure that data is reliable, integrated, and usable. Without that foundation, AI systems often stall or are abandoned.

The consequences are already visible nationwide. Research cited in the report shows 42% of companies scrapped most of their AI initiatives in 2025, more than double the abandonment rate from the year before.

The findings carry particular significance for Louisiana as the state courts data centers, advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure projects, including large-scale developments proposed in Caddo and Bossier parishes. While such projects promise billions in capital investment, they depend on robust data pipelines, power reliability and utility coordination — areas that require deep data infrastructure expertise.

Data centers, in particular, employ relatively few permanent workers but rely heavily on specialized data engineers to manage system redundancy, cybersecurity, data flow and integration with cloud and AI platforms. A shortage of those workers could limit the long-term impact of the projects Louisiana is working to attract.

The report also raises questions for workforce development and higher education. Louisiana universities have expanded AI-related coursework in recent years, but researchers say data engineering, database management and system integration skills are just as critical — and often in shorter supply.

Only 6% of enterprise AI leaders nationwide believe their data systems are ready to support AI projects, and 71% of AI teams spend more than a quarter of their time on basic data preparation and system integration rather than advanced analytics or model development, according to research cited in the study.

Those infrastructure gaps can have ripple effects beyond technology firms. Utilities, energy producers, health systems and logistics companies — all major pillars of Louisiana’s economy — increasingly rely on AI tools that require clean, connected data to function reliably.

DoubleTrack recommends companies adopt a 2-to-1 hiring ratio, with two data infrastructure hires for every AI specialist, to reduce failure rates.

“The businesses most at risk aren’t the ones moving slowly on AI,” said Andy Boettcher, the firm’s chief innovation officer. “They’re the ones who hired aggressively for AI roles without investing in data quality and infrastructure.”

As Louisiana pushes to position itself as a hub for data-driven industries, researchers say closing the gap between AI ambition and data readiness may determine whether those investments succeed — or quietly join the 95% that do not.

Source link

Click to comment

Louisiana

Louisiana bill would impose tougher penalties for operating unlicensed gambling websites

Published

8 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana bill would impose tougher penalties for operating unlicensed gambling websites

Content on this page may include affiliate links. If you click and sign up/place a wager, we may receive compensation at no cost to you.

New legislation in Baton Rouge would reclassify some illegal gaming-related offenses as racketeering law violations, elevating potential consequences.

Louisiana has already stepped up its enforcement of its gaming laws related to potential illegal gaming but a new bill in the state legislature would give prosecutors’ actions more teeth. The proposal would elevate certain crimes involving unlicensed gaming in the state to a racketeering charge with more severe penalties linked to convictions.

If you’re in a legal online casino state, claim 500 bonus spins plus up to $1,000 in casino credit at Golden Nugget by clicking here:

Louisiana bill changes classification of gaming-related charges

Louisiana Rep. Bryan Fontenot has pre-filed HB 53, which could rewrite the state code as it pertains to unlicensed gaming sites. The legislation has been provisionally assigned to the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, as the 2026 session does not begin until March 9.

Under the proposal, the state’s definition of racketeering would expand to include “gambling, gambling by computer, gambling on cockfights, gambling by electronic sweepstakes, unlawful wagering, and bribery of sports participants.” Under current statutes, racketeering convictions carry penalties of fines of “not more than one million dollars, or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than 50 years, or both.”

Additionally, racketeering convictions that result in sentences of fines of at least $10,000 revoke recipients’ eligibility for parole. The enactment of this bill as currently composed could have a significant impact on the operation of sweepstakes-based online casino sites for real money in Louisiana.

At the same time, many of the companies in that space have already ceased potentially infringing actions within Louisiana.

Tap here to get a $40 credit plus 500 bonus spins at FanDuel Casino:

Louisiana has already been off-limits for sweepstakes casinos

In 2025, Louisiana gaming regulators and law enforcement took multiple actions to restrict residents’ access to unlicensed platforms for playing casino games online. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill shared a public notice about the illegality of sweepstakes-based online gaming sites, in addition to issuing cease-and-desist orders to the companies affiliated with those sites. As a result, many of the operators of those sites geofenced Louisiana out of their service areas.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board supplemented that action with its additional cease-and-desist letters. Fontenot’s bill could add additional weight to these demands if it becomes law.

There is currently no legal framework for playing online casino games or redeeming casino bonus codes in Louisiana. While online sports wagering is legal in most of the state, officials in Baton Rouge have not yet tackled the issue of iGaming.

Even if voters in Louisiana someday do clear the way for the utilization of Fanatics Casino promo codes, that would involve licensed gaming and not affect the implementation of Fontenot’s bill. However, such deliberations do not seem imminent.

If you’re in a legal online casino state, claim 1,000 bonus spins on Triple Cash Eruption at Fanatics Casino when you click here:

If HB 53 becomes law, Louisiana could levy some of the toughest penalties for illegal gaming activity in the United States. Many potential targets of prosecution have already pulled out of the state.

Source link

Louisiana

Governor’s Office of Strategic Community Initiatives | Office of Governor Jeff Landry

Published

20 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Governor’s Office of Strategic Community Initiatives | Office of Governor Jeff Landry

Driving Louisiana Forward Program

Commerical Driver’s License (CDL) Training

In partnership with the Louisiana Workforce Commission and South Louisiana Community College, this program aims to provide African American males with financial assistance to obtain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, strengthening the resilience and contributions of this key demographic and improving equitable access to workforce opportunities. This initiative aims to reduce high unemployment rates within this community but also focuses on ensuring participants come from rural and economically disadvantaged areas.

Earn your CDL Class A license with this comprehensive classroom and behind-the-wheel program to drive tractor[1]trailers, dump trucks, tow trucks, delivery trucks, tanker trucks, and flatbed trucks.

Source link

Louisiana

Landry asks Louisiana’s Washington delegation to redraw federal judicial districts

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Landry asks Louisiana’s Washington delegation to redraw federal judicial districts

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Gov. Jeff Landry is asking Louisiana’s congressional leaders to amend the state’s federal judicial districts, citing caseload growth and public safety concerns.

Landry sent letters to Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. John Kennedy, Congressman Cleo Fields, and Congresswoman Julia Letlow requesting the change.

The request

Louisiana is currently divided into three federal judicial districts: Eastern, Middle, and Western. Landry is asking that West Feliciana Parish be moved from the Middle District to the Western District.

In the letters, Landry cited significant growth in the Middle District and an increased caseload for its judges. He said a major driver of the Middle District docket is Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Public safety argument

Landry said moving West Feliciana Parish into the Western District would improve judicial efficiency and better address public safety needs in East Baton Rouge Parish and the state.

He said East Baton Rouge Parish continues to battle violent crime. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, recent numbers show violent crime in the parish has decreased.

Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.

Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.

Source link