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Phillip Durst

Head of AI Science at Learn Collaborate

I’m happy to say I’ve had an eclectic and wonderful professional journey spanning many projects, teams, and research areas. I started as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) back in 2009, working on autonomous and driverless vehicles. I then served as an Engineering Manager from 2018-2022 before joining Assured Information Security for a couple of years researching AI/ML for the military. After some more AI/ML military research with Bennett Aerospace from 2024-2025, I'm happy to have landed at Learn Collaborate as the Head of AI Science for what is very soon to be the best place to learn the soft skills that cannot be gained through current online learning platforms. Along the way, I taught video game design and computer vision at the Rochester Institute of Technology, freelanced as a copywriter and academic coach off-and-on since 2018, and even taught ESL to students in China during COVID. Now, I'm excited to see what adventure comes my way next.

Articles

Cover image for Are Farmers Becoming Data Scientists? Inside Agriculture’s Digital Shift
Agriculture
Are Farmers Becoming Data Scientists? Inside Agriculture’s Digital Shift
<p class="mb-4">At 7:00 a.m., a farmer checks her phone- not the sky- to decide whether to irrigate. Hundreds of miles above her, satellites have alre...
May 6, 2026Read article
Cover image for Faster Services, Safer Data: Can Governments Actually Deliver Both?
Artificial Intelligence
Faster Services, Safer Data: Can Governments Actually Deliver Both?
<p class="mb-4">The next time your city fixes a pothole before you hit it, or your tax refund arrives faster than expected, there’s a good chance AI i...
May 1, 2026Read article
Cover image for The $100 Million Question Your City Isn't Asking
Economic DevelopmentArtificial Intelligence
The $100 Million Question Your City Isn't Asking
<p class="mb-4">Picture this: It's 2 a.m., and somewhere in America, a city finance director is still awake, cross-referencing seven different spreads...
April 27, 2026Read article
Cover image for Building Better Cities with AI—Without Losing Public Trust
Artificial Intelligence
Building Better Cities with AI—Without Losing Public Trust
<p class="mb-4">AI is rapidly moving into the heart of local government, shaping everything from traffic flow to public safety- but without public tru...
April 25, 2026Read article
Cover image for Small Teams, Big Impact: AI Tools Transforming Public Sector Social Media
Artificial Intelligence
Small Teams, Big Impact: AI Tools Transforming Public Sector Social Media
<p class="mb-4">Picture this: a resident tweets about a missed trash pickup at 8:12 a.m.- and by 8:13, they’ve already received a helpful reply, a ser...
April 22, 2026Read article
Cover image for Why Personalized Learning Isn’t Working- And How AI Can Fix It
Artificial IntelligenceEducation
Why Personalized Learning Isn’t Working- And How AI Can Fix It
<p class="mb-4">It starts with a familiar scene: a student staring at a worksheet that feels either way too easy or impossibly hard. Somewhere between...
April 20, 2026Read article
Cover image for Drawing the Line: How AI Is Transforming Property Mapping
Artificial Intelligence
Drawing the Line: How AI Is Transforming Property Mapping
<p class="mb-4">The next property dispute you hear about might not start with a fence- it might start with a dataset.</p><p class="mb-4">Across cities...
April 19, 2026Read article
Cover image for Beyond the Budget: How AI Is Transforming Municipal Money Management
Artificial IntelligenceManagement and Finance
Beyond the Budget: How AI Is Transforming Municipal Money Management
<p class="mb-4">Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a game-changer for local governments looking to do more with less. From automating re...
April 17, 2026Read article
Cover image for Stop Posting, Start Listening: AI Tools That Turn Engagement into Action
Artificial Intelligence
Stop Posting, Start Listening: AI Tools That Turn Engagement into Action
<p class="mb-4">Everyone is already using AI- that’s exactly the problem. The advantage now isn’t having AI; it’s how boldly and intelligently you use...
April 16, 2026Read article
Cover image for Closing Gaps or Widening Them? Equity, AI, and the Future of Learning
EducationTechnology
Closing Gaps or Widening Them? Equity, AI, and the Future of Learning
<p class="mb-4">Artificial intelligence is rushing into classrooms- but will it become education’s secret weapon or just the latest distraction with a...
April 15, 2026Read article
Cover image for Follow the (Smart) Money: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Public Finance
Artificial IntelligenceManagement and Finance
Follow the (Smart) Money: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Public Finance
<p class="mb-4">Every taxpayer wants to know their money is being spent wisely - and now, artificial intelligence is making that possible. From budget...
April 10, 2026Read article
Cover image for Beyond the Map: AI’s Role in Reimagining Property Lines and Tax Revenue
Artificial IntelligenceEconomic Development
Beyond the Map: AI’s Role in Reimagining Property Lines and Tax Revenue
<p class="mb-4">Cities are getting smarter, and so is the way they draw their lines- literally. Artificial intelligence is helping local governments d...
April 9, 2026Read article
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