Massachusetts governor says AI, climate technology and robotics are part of state’s economic future

BOSTON (AP) — Artificial intelligence, climate technology and robotics are some of the economic opportunities Democratic Gov. Maura Healey says she wants Massachusetts to focus on in the coming years, according to a draft economic development package filed this week.

One element of the plan calls for an artificial intelligence strategic task force to help speed the adoption of AI in the state’s growing economic sectors such as education, financial services and the life sciences.

Another sector Healey said the state needs to zero in on is becoming a leader in efforts to address the threats of climate change. She said she wants the state to create “the world’s leading climatetech ecosystem.”

The administration is also working to pull together academic and industry leaders to help secure funding for the state’s burgeoning robotics cluster, Healey said.

“Massachusetts is the best place in the world to live, raise a family, and grow a business,” Healey said in a statement. “It’s our administration’s job to keep it that way by leveraging what’s working and fixing what’s not.”

The plan is intended to help guide the state’s economic development work over the next four years and to help make Massachusetts more competitive by becoming a “global talent magnet” — attracting the world’s best minds, Healey said.

The plan also outlines efforts to tackle some of the state’s more basic, and chronic, economic challenges, including increasing the production of sorely needed housing and improving transportation — including metropolitan Boston’s beleaguered subway, commuter rail and bus public transportation systems.

The outline doesn’t say how much each of its wish-list items will cost. The plan will help as a guide when the administration seeks spending bills next year.

Also Wednesday, the state Department of Public Utilities issued a new strategy aimed at guiding the evolution of natural gas in Massachusetts. The goal is to help the state meet its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through decarbonization, electrification and the adoption of new technologies.

Under the order unveiled this week, the Department of Public Utilities will require natural gas distribution companies to consider non-gas alternatives to gas expansion projects. The gas distribution companies will no longer be able to recover costs for the promotion of natural gas use.

Department of Public Utilities officials said the agency will also look for solutions to the cost of energy to consumers, especially low- and moderate-income ratepayers.

Consumer advocates say utility shareholders, and not Massachusetts gas customers, should be on the hook to pay for any expensive pipeline upgrades associated with the costs of pursuing renewable natural gas and hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas.