Randy P. Sparkman
Exploring the generative AI last mile with the people who will make it work.
I work with leaders on the generative AI last mile — the gap between what the technology can do and what the people actually do with it. My current focus is helping organizations across workplaces, schools, government, and non-profits move from experimentation to durable adoption. One example is my work as chair of the Education Committee of the Huntsville, Alabama Mayor's regional AI Task Force, working with schools, workforce developers, and other organizations to extend this work locally. Another is WorkPath, a workplace AI readiness assessment I developed to ground these exact discussions.
My current activity draws on forty years in enterprise technology, including a long tenure at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, my work in public education, my 2024 book Language AI: A Guide for Humans, and, importantly, my direct engagement with all kinds of organizations working to put these new technologies to use.
There is real opportunity inside this for individuals and enterprises. That's the last mile. That's what I'm exploring.
Writing
Book
A non-technical primer on generative AI as a thought partner — written for readers who want to understand what the technology actually does, what it doesn't, and how to think about its place in their work.
Speaking
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Alabama Summit on Talent Retention and Workforce Learning
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Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) Law Conference
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Alabama STEM Foundation Summit for STEM Education and Workforce
Interviews
Work
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WorkPath
A workplace AI readiness assessment measuring orientation, integration, and judgment across a fifteen-scenario adaptive format. For individuals, organizations, and workforce developers.
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Alabama Digital Literacy & Computer Science Standards — Lesson Plan Tool
A free tool for Alabama K-12 educators aligning lesson plans to the state's DLCS standards.
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NotebookLM Collection — Alabama K-12 AI Policies
A working reference of district-level AI policy across Alabama.