Latest news with #AIHorizonsSummit
Axios
7 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Pittsburgh aims to power AI future
Tech leaders in the Steel City see a big opening to expand. Why it matters: National figures are converging on the city Tuesday to pitch Pennsylvania as a future hub for energy-powered AI — and local companies, civic leaders and lawmakers want to lead the charge. Context: President Trump and Sen. Dave McCormick will be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday to promote a $70 billion plan to boost natural gas and data center development across Pennsylvania. What they're saying: Shiv Rao, CEO of AI medical documentation platform Abridge, said at the AI Horizons Summit event in the Strip District that Pittsburgh was key in launching his fast-growing company because the local talent was primed to be early in development of AI technology. Zoom in: Nicholas Robinson of Cerberus Capital Management said AI driven by domestic power is a national security matter and leaders like Sen. McCormick told him he is intent on making that point. Carnegie Robotics CEO John Barnes said he wants to see autonomous technologies expanded into the military, saying commercial companies like his are set up well to operate with the Department of Defense. Alan Shepard, president and CFO of natural gas company CNX Resources, said the Appalachian region has "everything that is needed for AI, including the power right under our feet." Pennsylvania held 106 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves as of 2022, the second most in the nation, just behind Texas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Gecko Robotics CEO Jake Loosararian said AI and robotics can help aging power plants in the Pittsburgh and Ohio Valley region run more efficiently and increase output. Caveat: Efforts to reinvent Pittsburgh after the collapse of the steel industry have come and gone. Fracking expanded in the 2010s, but the promised downstream manufacturing jobs never materialized. Autonomous vehicle companies boomed starting in 2015, and then moved, sold off or shut down by 2022. State of play: Monday's preview event came across as a sales pitch to national investors, with leaders trying to make the case that Pittsburgh is a smart bet for AI — and that the $70 billion investment is only the beginning.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI Strike Team launches featuring local experts, Nvidia executive and bipartisan advisory committee
A group of industry and economic development leaders have joined forces to form the AI Strike Team, a 24-month initiative focused on making strategic asks for the region. The group will be led by executive director Joanna Doven, who had been heavily involved in the AI Avenue initiative in Bakery Square and the AI Horizons Pittsburgh Summit that took place there last year. Other members include RIDC CEO Don Smith, Lovelace AI CEO and former Google AI Cloud director Andrew Moore, Magarac Venture Partners Founder Jay Katarincic and Nvidia Federal Senior AI Strategist Shane Shaneman. 'It feels like the decision makers, business leaders, government and industry are all drinking from the fire hose and more than ever have to be nimble and adapt and have their ears to the ground and really have to cooperate together,' Doven said. 'The cooperation could not be more important than in 2025 when economies are rapidly changing, when regions who win and lose are being written in real time.' The team is planning key initiatives, including an 'Operation Stargate Pittsburgh,' an effort to prepare sites and resources for possible data centers. Despite not having an immediate direct connection to the $500 billion Stargate initiative announced by Softbank and President Donald Trump last week, Doven said the group is 'focused on being ahead of the puck' to potentially secure future investment. Other focus areas include planning a second AI Horizons Summit and a nationwide recruitment drive to bring businesses to the city. Click here to read more from the Pittsburgh Business Times. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Sign in to access your portfolio
