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.
The full field — 70 businesses by tier
Observer (2): Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) (19) · T-Mobile (legacy Sprint HQ) (14)
Silent (68): H&R Block (8) · University of Kansas (8) · Hammerspace (7) · Hallmark Cards (5) · Russell Stover Chocolates (5) · Price Chopper (5) · Folly Theater (5) · C2FO (5) · EquipmentShare (5) · University Health (Truman Medical Centers) (5) · HCA Midwest Health (5) · Jackson County, MO (5) · Port KC (5) · Garmin (4) · Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (4) · Black & Veatch (0) · Burns & McDonnell (0) · AMC Theatres (0) · Commerce Bank (0) · Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (0) · Q39 (0) · Arthur Bryant's Barbeque (0) · Gates Bar-B-Q (0) · Jack Stack Barbecue (0) · Stroud's (0) · Plaza III The Steakhouse (0) · The Town Company (0) · Westport Cafe & Bar (0) · Manifesto (0) · Cosentino's Markets (0) · Hen House Market (0) · Westlake Ace Hardware (0) · Hall's Kansas City (0) · Made in Kansas City (0) · Fleet Farm (0) · Helzberg Diamonds (0) · Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (0) · Union Station Kansas City (0) · Crown Center (0) · Worlds of Fun (0) · KC Streetcar Authority (0) · RideKC (KCATA) (0) · Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (0) · BacklotCars (Openlane) (0) · InQuest (0) · Lockton (0) · Ascend Elements (0) · Dexios (0) · Zentech (0) · Digital Recognition Network (0) · Children's Mercy Kansas City (0) · Saint Luke's Health System (0) · University of Kansas Medical Center (0) · North Kansas City Hospital (0) · Olathe Health (AdventHealth) (0) · KC Care Health Center (0) · City of Kansas City, MO (0) · City of Olathe (0) · Johnson County, KS (0) · University of Missouri-Kansas City (0) · Rockhurst University (0) · Johnson County Community College (0) · Avila University (0) · Park University (0) · Metropolitan Community College (KC) (0) · Webster University, Kansas City (0) · Kansas City Public Library (0) · Notre Dame de Sion School (0)
Spotlight: T-Mobile (legacy Sprint HQ)
T-Mobile (legacy Sprint HQ) lost 12 points this week, dropping to 14/100. Visibility on AI initiatives appears to be cooling.
Strongest signal: public announcements + press (6/10).
Recent signals: - Fierce Network: T-Mobile says open AI models aren’t just about cost — they’re about fit - fiercewireless.com: T-Mobile says open AI models aren’t just about cost — they’re about fit - SDxCentral: T-Mobile US network chief touts AI transformation and where telecom is best positioned to lead
Web: www.t-mobile.com · Category: Corporate HQs
Spotlight: Oracle Health (formerly Cerner)
Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) lost 4 points this week, dropping to 19/100. Visibility on AI initiatives appears to be cooling.
Strongest signal: public announcements + press (8/10).
Recent signals: - HTML METADATA: AI-focused keyword positioning on homepage copy (machine learning, generative ai). - NewswireToday: Oracle Health Expands Clinical AI Agent with Automated Coding, Dictation, and Chart Review - Modern Healthcare: Oracle Health’s Seema Verma on rebuilding its EHR for the AI era
Web: www.oracle.com/health · Category: Corporate HQs
Spotlight: University of Kansas
University of Kansas jumped +8 points this week to 8/100 — a meaningful move into stronger Silent territory.
Most visible signal so far: public announcements + press (4/10) — but most dimensions are still light.
Recent signals: - KU News: NSF awards $2 million grant to KU-led project supporting future AI and computing leaders - KU News: $1.5 million NSF grant will support KU research modeling molecular systems using AI
Web: www.ku.edu · Category: Education
Spotlight: Hammerspace
Hammerspace jumped +7 points this week to 7/100 — a meaningful move into stronger Silent territory.
No dimension yet scores above 2/10. Most of their AI work, if any, is still under wraps.
Recent signals: - HTML METADATA: AI-focused keyword positioning on homepage copy (artificial intelligence, llm). - TipRanks: Hammerspace Highlights Strategic Role of Unstructured Data Management in Enterprise AI
Web: hammerspace.com · Category: Tech Startups
Spotlight: Price Chopper
Price Chopper holds steady at 5/100 — a Silent in the AI race.
Most visible signal so far: AI tooling on their website (3/10) — but most dimensions are still light.
Recent signals: - CHATBOT FOOTPRINT: Live AI/interactive chatbot footprints discovered on site homepage (zendesk).
Web: www.mypricechopper.com · Category: Retail
Category leaders
- Corporate HQs: Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) — 19/100 (Observer) ↓ -4 - Restaurants & Bars: Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que — 0/100 (Silent) — - Retail: Price Chopper — 5/100 (Silent) — - Local Services: Folly Theater — 5/100 (Silent) — - Tech Startups: Hammerspace — 7/100 (Silent) ↑ +7 - Healthcare: University Health (Truman Medical Centers) — 5/100 (Silent) — - Government: Jackson County, MO — 5/100 (Silent) — - Education: University of Kansas — 8/100 (Silent) ↑ +8