AI for Opportunity

Bringing the Power of AI to Reentry Workforce — Safely, Accessibly, and at Scale

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people learn, communicate, and prepare for employment. Yet most tools aren’t designed for the realities of reentry or correctional settings. CEO is changing that.

We are developing AI-driven tools that work in secure environments, are accessible to everyone–regardless of their digital literacy or technology, and enhance the support participants receive throughout their reentry journey. By combining cutting-edge technology with proven coaching practices, CEO is building a modern system that expands reach, increases impact, and strengthens pathways to economic opportunity.

‘At What Cost?’ is a campaign that exposes the staggering economic and societal toll of mass incarceration–and calls for what we know works: investments in reentry services and direct financial support for people returning from incarceration.

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Designed for Impact, Grounded in Our Values

CEO’s AI strategy is built on inclusion, transparency, and participant voice. We are committed to developing tools:

With Participants, Not Just For Them

Incorporating feedback from people directly impacted by the justice system

With Clear Guardrails

Aligning with security protocols in correctional environments and protecting participant privacy

With Rigorous Testing

Piloting tools in stages, learning from what works, and making adjustments before scaling

The Opportunity

As AI transforms the labor market, the skills people need to get and keep good jobs are rising. Without intentional design, these shifts risk deepening existing inequities for justice-impacted individuals who already face barriers to employment and consistent access to skill-building opportunities.

People preparing for reentry are motivated to build skills, practice interviews, and improve communication, but often lack:

  • Access to individualized coaching
  • Low-stakes spaces to practice
  • Digital literacy, broadband, or device access
  • Tools that reflect real-world work scenarios

CEO’s AI strategy responds directly to these gaps. Our goal is simple: use AI to extend the reach of high-quality career coaching so individuals can access support, practice, and feedback whenever and wherever they need it.

The Solution: AI Voice Coach

Many people in correctional facilities want to prepare for work but lack access to individualized coaching and safe spaces to practice interviews or workplace conversations. Tablets, apps, and broadband internet aren’t always available—and digital literacy can be a barrier.

CEO’s AI Voice Coach solves this by providing a secure, phone-based coaching experience that works through existing monitored phone lines—no tablet, smartphone, or special app required.

Participants can:

  • Call in 24/7 and practice job interviews, workplace communication, and conflict resolution in a low-stakes, judgment-free environment
  • Receive real-time, human-centered feedback on their responses
  • Build confidence and communication skills before release, using systems that already exist inside facilities

The AI Voice Coach captures over 30 years of CEO’s reentry workforce coaching expertise in a scalable format. It complements work readiness efforts in corrections agencies and helps people return to the community ready to succeed in their job search.

Early Pilot Results

(500+ participants across CEO sites) show:

Improved job interview skills

Reduced anxiety before interviews

Better workplace communication and problem-solving

Strong staff feedback that the tool enhances, rather than replaces, human coaching

Listen to a Snippet of Real Calls Between a CEO Participant and One of Our AI Coaches

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AI Coach and CEO Participant Snippet
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Listen to his testimonial about preparing using this AI coaching technique.
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Participant Testimonial
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Two weeks after this participant did this practice, he landed an HVAC Technician position.

AI-Powered Resume & Application Support

Finding a job starts with being able to clearly and confidently describe your skills. CEO is piloting resume-building tools that help participants:

  • Quickly generate higher-quality resumes
  • Tailor applications to different job postings
  • Reduce the time from job readiness to job placement

These tools are designed to work alongside staff, not instead of them—freeing up coach time for deeper, more individualized conversations.

AI-Assisted Transcription & Case Notes

Quality data and accurate records are essential for strong outcomes, but documentation takes time. CEO is testing tools that:

  • Automatically transcribe meetings and coaching sessions
  • Generate structured notes and summaries
  • Help staff capture key insights consistently and quickly

This allows staff to stay present and person-centered during conversations, while improving the quality of the data used to refine programs and report outcomes.

Scaling a Blueprint for the Field

CEO’s long-term vision is to create a blueprint for tech-enabled reentry that other organizations and systems can adopt.

As part of our larger Opportunity 2030 blueprint, we will:

Refine pilots based on participant and staff feedback

Expand testing of our AI Voice Coach through collaborations with departments of corrections, including multi-stage rollouts from single facilities to regional or statewide deployments

Explore new AI solutions such as:

  • AI-powered career exploration and skills matching
  • Personalized digital coaching pathways
  • Scalable mentorship matching based on interests, goals, and support needs

Our goal is ambitious: to integrate AI tools at every stage of reentry nationally, and to share what we learn so the broader reentry field can benefit.

Partnership Opportunities

CEO is actively seeking collaboration opportunities with departments of corrections, workforce boards, and community-based organizations to pilot and scale AI-enabled reentry tools.

We Offer:

  • A multi-stage pilot model (from a single facility to statewide)
  • A secure, low-cost phone-based solution that uses existing infrastructure
  • Comprehensive support from CEO’s AI, reentry, and workforce development experts

Contact

Dane Worthington
Director of AI Strategy
dworthington@ceoworks.org

Media Inquiries

Claire Gross
Senior Manager of Public Relations
cgross@ceoworks.org