Maryland Governor Wes Moore is set to unveil an expanded AI-powered tool, the Maryland Community Compass, aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs in developing businesses across the state. The announcement will take place at a press conference at 9:30 a.m. in Baltimore.
This new platform is a free online resource designed to assist entrepreneurs in starting and growing essential-service businesses, particularly in underserved communities. It improves upon the previous Maryland Community Business Compass by incorporating AI-enhanced capabilities developed in collaboration with Anthropic.
The upgraded system provides local developers and community leaders with crucial neighborhood-level data insights, new address-level guidance, and access to over 2,600 funding opportunities, including grants, loans, and tax credits. This is intended to aid in revitalizing neighborhoods and creating affordable housing, as well as commercial and community spaces.
In addition, the platform will utilize Anthropic’s Claude model to analyze more than 72,000 web pages to extract information about assistance programs, including eligibility criteria, deadlines, and contact details, translating complex information into easy-to-understand summaries. Officials have assured that all AI-generated results will undergo manual review for consistency before being made public.
