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5 min readMay 18, 2026

KC AI Scorecard · Week of May 18, 2026

KC AI Scorecard · Week of May 18, 2026
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No Innovators yet, 0 Movers, and 70 other KC businesses ranked on AI adoption — week of May 18, 2026.

70 Kansas City businesses ranked on AI adoption signals — 0 Innovators, 0 Movers, 70 still finding their lane.

Why this scorecard exists

Every Monday morning, The Kansas City Group ranks 70 prominent KC businesses on the visible AI adoption signals they're putting out into the world.

Six dimensions — each scored 0-10, weighted total 0-100: - Public announcements + press — weighted 20% - AI/ML job postings — weighted 15% - AI tooling visible on their website — weighted 15% - Social-media AI content cadence — weighted 10% - Leadership commentary on AI (interviews, panels, op-eds) — weighted 20% - Disclosed AI vendor partnerships — weighted 20%

Tiers: Innovator (75-100) · Mover (55-74) · Experimenter (30-54) · Observer (10-29) · Silent (0-9).

What this isn't: a judgment of which companies are secretly doing AI well behind closed doors. The scorecard measures public visibility of AI work — what a customer, journalist, or job-seeker would notice. Some of the silent companies may be world-class AI shops that just don't talk about it.

📊Top movers · Week of May 18, 2026

Spotlight: Metropolitan Community College (KC)

Metropolitan Community College (KC) jumped +14 points this week to 14/100 — a meaningful move into stronger Observer territory.

Strongest signal: public announcements + press (7/10).

Recent signals: - AIM Media House: Nebius Breaks Ground on 1.2 GW AI Factory Campus in Missouri - KTTN: Nebius breaks ground on gigawatt-scale AI factory in Independence - FinancialContent: Nebius breaks ground on gigawatt-scale AI factory in Independence, Missouri

Web: www.mcckc.edu · Category: Education

Spotlight: Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell lost 6 points this week, dropping to 0/100. Visibility on AI initiatives appears to be cooling.

No dimension yet scores above 0/10. Most of their AI work, if any, is still under wraps.

Recent signals: _No signals observed yet — they may still be operating quietly._

Web: www.burnsmcd.com · Category: Corporate HQs

Spotlight: Manifesto

Manifesto holds steady at 24/100 — a Observer in the AI race.

Strongest signal: public announcements + press (10/10).

Recent signals: - MSN: DMK vows Rs 10K-crore AI facility in Chennai manifesto - Let's Data Science: Artprice Publishes 22-Rule AI Art Market Manifesto - PR Newswire: Artmarket.com: The Artprice Manifesto: 22 Rules for a Regulated and Transparent Art Market in the Age of AI

Web: www.manifestokc.com · Category: Restaurants & Bars

Spotlight: H&R Block

H&R Block jumped +4 points this week to 22/100 — a meaningful move into stronger Observer territory.

Strongest signal: public announcements + press (10/10).

Recent signals: - New York Post: AI-powered bank founded by Peter Thiel protégé wants to replace humans with code — will it work? - The Business Journals: H&R Block CEO sees fluency in AI, tech helping establish better human connections - Leadership-context mention in The Business Journals: H&R Block CEO sees fluency in AI, tech helping establish better human connections

Web: www.hrblock.com · Category: Corporate HQs

Spotlight: University Health (Truman Medical Centers)

University Health (Truman Medical Centers) holds steady at 22/100 — a Observer in the AI race.

Strongest signal: public announcements + press (10/10).

Recent signals: - MSN: CapsoVision expects AI-assisted reading clearance around midyear, with CapsoCam Colon Gen 2 imaging and AI module targeted for Q3 2026 - The Straits Times: Living with AI: What is Singapore’s strategy to stand out in the global AI race? - CancerNetwork: The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence in Oncology: Impact on Trials, Workflows, and Outcomes

Web: www.universityhealthkc.org · Category: Healthcare

Corporate HQs · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1H&R Block22/100Observer↑ +4
2Garmin22/100Observer↑ +8
3Oracle Health (formerly Cerner)20/100Observer↑ +4
4T-Mobile (legacy Sprint HQ)20/100Observer
5AMC Theatres16/100Observer

Restaurants & Bars · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1Manifesto24/100Observer
2Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que0/100Silent
3Q390/100Silent
4Arthur Bryant's Barbeque0/100Silent
5Gates Bar-B-Q0/100Silent

Retail · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1Fleet Farm14/100Observer
2Price Chopper6/100Silent↑ +6
3Cosentino's Markets0/100Silent
4Hen House Market0/100Silent
5Westlake Ace Hardware0/100Silent

Local Services · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium8/100Silent↑ +8
2Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts0/100Silent
3Union Station Kansas City0/100Silent
4Crown Center0/100Silent
5Worlds of Fun0/100Silent

Tech Startups · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1Hammerspace20/100Observer
2EquipmentShare12/100Observer↑ +8
3InQuest8/100Silent↑ +8
4Lockton8/100Silent
5Zentech8/100Silent

Healthcare · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1University Health (Truman Medical Centers)22/100Observer
2Saint Luke's Health System4/100Silent↑ +4
3Children's Mercy Kansas City0/100Silent
4University of Kansas Medical Center0/100Silent
5North Kansas City Hospital0/100Silent

Government · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1City of Kansas City, MO0/100Silent
2City of Olathe0/100Silent
3Jackson County, MO0/100Silent
4Johnson County, KS0/100Silent
5Kansas City Area Transportation Authority0/100Silent

Education · Top 5

RankBusinessScoreTierMovement
1University of Kansas20/100Observer
2Metropolitan Community College (KC)14/100Observer↑ +14
3University of Missouri-Kansas City8/100Silent↑ +4
4Johnson County Community College6/100Silent
5Park University4/100Silent↑ +4

Full leaderboard · 70 businesses

RankBusinessCategoryScoreTierMovement
1ManifestoRestaurants & Bars24/100Observer
2H&R BlockCorporate HQs22/100Observer↑ +4
3GarminCorporate HQs22/100Observer↑ +8
4University Health (Truman Medical Centers)Healthcare22/100Observer
5Oracle Health (formerly Cerner)Corporate HQs20/100Observer↑ +4
6T-Mobile (legacy Sprint HQ)Corporate HQs20/100Observer
7HammerspaceTech Startups20/100Observer
8University of KansasEducation20/100Observer
9AMC TheatresCorporate HQs16/100Observer
10Fleet FarmRetail14/100Observer
11Metropolitan Community College (KC)Education14/100Observer↑ +14
12EquipmentShareTech Startups12/100Observer↑ +8
13Kansas City Zoo & AquariumLocal Services8/100Silent↑ +8
14InQuestTech Startups8/100Silent↑ +8
15LocktonTech Startups8/100Silent
16ZentechTech Startups8/100Silent
17University of Missouri-Kansas CityEducation8/100Silent↑ +4
18Price ChopperRetail6/100Silent↑ +6
19Johnson County Community CollegeEducation6/100Silent
20Saint Luke's Health SystemHealthcare4/100Silent↑ +4
21Park UniversityEducation4/100Silent↑ +4
22Hallmark CardsCorporate HQs0/100Silent
23Russell Stover ChocolatesCorporate HQs0/100Silent
24Black & VeatchCorporate HQs0/100Silent
25Burns & McDonnellCorporate HQs0/100Silent↓ -6
26Commerce BankCorporate HQs0/100Silent
27Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-QueRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
28Q39Restaurants & Bars0/100Silent
29Arthur Bryant's BarbequeRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
30Gates Bar-B-QRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
31Jack Stack BarbecueRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
32Stroud'sRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
33Plaza III The SteakhouseRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
34The Town CompanyRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
35Westport Cafe & BarRestaurants & Bars0/100Silent
36Cosentino's MarketsRetail0/100Silent
37Hen House MarketRetail0/100Silent
38Westlake Ace HardwareRetail0/100Silent
39Hall's Kansas CityRetail0/100Silent
40Made in Kansas CityRetail0/100Silent
41Helzberg DiamondsRetail0/100Silent
42Kauffman Center for the Performing ArtsLocal Services0/100Silent
43Union Station Kansas CityLocal Services0/100Silent
44Crown CenterLocal Services0/100Silent
45Worlds of FunLocal Services0/100Silent
46KC Streetcar AuthorityLocal Services0/100Silent
47RideKC (KCATA)Local Services0/100Silent
48Folly TheaterLocal Services0/100Silent
49C2FOTech Startups0/100Silent
50BacklotCars (Openlane)Tech Startups0/100Silent
51Ascend ElementsTech Startups0/100Silent
52DexiosTech Startups0/100Silent
53Digital Recognition NetworkTech Startups0/100Silent
54Children's Mercy Kansas CityHealthcare0/100Silent
55University of Kansas Medical CenterHealthcare0/100Silent
56North Kansas City HospitalHealthcare0/100Silent
57HCA Midwest HealthHealthcare0/100Silent
58Olathe Health (AdventHealth)Healthcare0/100Silent
59KC Care Health CenterHealthcare0/100Silent
60City of Kansas City, MOGovernment0/100Silent
61City of OlatheGovernment0/100Silent
62Jackson County, MOGovernment0/100Silent
63Johnson County, KSGovernment0/100Silent
64Kansas City Area Transportation AuthorityGovernment0/100Silent
65Port KCGovernment0/100Silent
66Rockhurst UniversityEducation0/100Silent
67Avila UniversityEducation0/100Silent↓ -4
68Webster University, Kansas CityEducation0/100Silent
69Kansas City Public LibraryEducation0/100Silent
70Notre Dame de Sion SchoolEducation0/100Silent
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