Randy P. Sparkman
AI, people, learning, and work.
I work on the generative AI last mile: the gap between what these systems can do and what actually gets done with them.
That gap closes when people see their own role clearly. I approach it through practical AI literacy: understanding how these systems operate, using them with purpose, and exercising judgment about when to rely on them. Those same principles inform my thinking about workforce readiness, AI strategy, and policy.
That perspective draws on forty years in enterprise technology, most of it at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Today, I collaborate with educators, employers, and civic leaders on how AI is changing learning, decision-making, and human opportunity.
My current practice includes developing WorkPath, a personal, workplace-centered AI readiness tool. It provides a useful lens for exploring the broader question of what remains ours to do as AI takes on more capability.
That’s the last mile.
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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AI Workshop with the Morgan County Bar Association
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Industry Panel on AI and Workforce Readiness (Moderator)
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Alabama Higher Education AI Exchange: Classroom to Career
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Alabama Legislature Commission on AI and Child Safety
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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
WorkPath
A workplace AI readiness assessment that reveals orientation, integration, and judgment across a fifteen-scenario adaptive format. For individuals, organizations, and workforce developers.
wkpath.com