This Month's Latest Tech News in Atlanta, GA - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

Atlanta's tech scene in April 2025 is buzzing with ambition and opportunity, yet grappling with challenges that mirror its rapid ascent. Major events like the AI+IM Global Summit and Atlanta AI Week 2025 attracted top industry names - including Microsoft, Home Depot, and Georgia Tech - fueling collaborations and highlighting Atlanta's emergence as an AI and clean technology hub.

Investment in the region's climate tech and clean energy startups has surged, with over $11.5 billion flowing into sectors like electric vehicles and advanced solar, and US-wide VC-backed climate tech hitting record funding rounds (Series B median: $30M; Series C+: $60M), as shown in the six-month surge in climate tech investment.

However, Atlanta faces pressure from workforce shortages, housing inflation, and a need for bolder investments - echoed by veteran investor Sig Mosley's call for riskier backing of early-stage startups.

“Atlanta CleanTech Connect facilitates conversations that build trusted relationships between innovators, entrepreneurs, customers, and investors to speed startups' time-to-market and establish Atlanta as a global cleantech hub,”

notes Richard Gruber of Georgia Tech.

For local talent eyeing these opportunities, upskilling - especially in cybersecurity, data, and AI - remains pivotal to thriving in this evolving landscape.

Kinaxis, a global leader in supply chain orchestration, has announced a transformative partnership with Georgia Tech's NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT), aiming to address the growing complexity of global supply chains through scalable artificial intelligence and optimization solutions.

Leveraging Kinaxis' AI-powered Maestro platform, the collaboration integrates machine learning and optimization to enhance real-time transparency, agility, and decision-making throughout supply networks - critical as industries face disruptions from tariffs, extreme weather, and geopolitical shifts.

Under the Tech AI hub at Georgia Tech, the partnership not only builds on several years of joint research but also includes hands-on student internships, guest lectures, and real-world applications that bridge academic breakthroughs with industry demands.

Highlighting the significance of the alliance, Pascal Van Hentenryck, Director of AI4OPT, stated,

“In collaboration with AI4OPT, Kinaxis is exploring how the fusion of machine learning and optimization may bring a step change in capabilities for the next generation of supply chain management systems.”

Kinaxis' impressive roster of clients like Unilever, P&G, Ford, and Lockheed Martin stands to benefit from these advancements, while the AI4OPT consortium boasts over 80 affiliated faculty and students and high-profile industry partners such as Intel, Google, and UPS. For a deeper dive into this co-innovation partnership, visit Georgia Tech's official news release on scalable AI for supply chains, explore an industry overview from IoT World Today's feature on Georgia Tech and Kinaxis, and see the ongoing impacts of AI4OPT's initiatives at their AI4OPT news portal.

Atlanta has rapidly ascended to the forefront of America's data center landscape, recently overtaking Northern Virginia as the top U.S. market for data center leasing activity and closing 2024 with more than 700 megawatts of new net leasing - 56% higher than its nearest rival.

This explosive growth is largely driven by hyperscale operators such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon - whose recent $11 billion investment underpins massive ongoing expansion projects.

Yet, behind the records, major cloud giants like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft are now pausing certain international and early-stage U.S. data center leases, citing economic uncertainty, tariff pressures, and evolving AI infrastructure needs.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's data center market report, nearly 2,160 MW of capacity is under construction in metro Atlanta - more than double today's footprint - but this surge is straining regional power grids and raising legislative scrutiny, with Georgia Power projecting that over 80% of future electricity load growth will come from data centers.

As summarized in a Data Center Frontier analysis of Atlanta's data center boom, “land bank” acquisitions now exceed 2,000 acres, with over 10 new developers entering the market.

At the same time, AWS and Microsoft emphasize these leasing pauses as routine strategy - adjustments that allow them to “focus resources where needed most” amidst fast-evolving demand.

As one industry insider noted,

“There haven't been any recent fundamental changes in our expansion plans. Fortunately for our customers, they're able to focus on their business and leave these details to us.”

Still, with generative AI promising to double electricity use by 2030 and looming policy debates like Senate Bill 34, Atlanta's ascent is meeting the hard realities of infrastructure strain and regulatory pressure (full industry overview of data center leasing pauses).

Georgia legislators and regulators are ramping up oversight of the state's booming data center sector as exploding energy demands threaten to impact household utility bills.

In January, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously approved new rules requiring any new Georgia Power customer with energy usage exceeding 100 megawatts - typically data centers - to pay the full cost of transmission and distribution during construction, and to have all new contracts reviewed by the PSC. As PSC Chairman Jason Shaw stated,

“The amount of energy these new industries consume is staggering. By approving this new rule, the PSC is helping ensure that existing Georgia Power customers will be spared additional costs associated with adding these large-load customers to the grid.”

Legislators are simultaneously considering bills to strengthen these protections, such as SB 34, which would prohibit passing even ancillary data center costs onto residential or small business ratepayers.

However, some critics argue regulatory “loopholes” remain. The new rules and legislative efforts come as data center-driven load growth is projected to reach 8,200 megawatts by 2030 - five times higher than estimates just a year prior, with 80% of new demand attributed to these facilities.

The table below summarizes key rule changes and projections:

Regulatory Action	Threshold / Scope	Main Requirement
PSC Rule (2025)	>100 MW new load	Data centers pay transmission/distribution; contract review mandatory
SB 34 (pending)	All GA Power customers	Bans passing data center costs to residents/small business
Projected Load by 2030	Statewide	8,200 MW (majority from data centers)

For further details, see WABE's new billing rules for large electricity users, an in-depth overview by Data Center Frontier on Georgia's utility policies shifting energy costs to data centers, and the Georgia Recorder's coverage of ongoing legislative debates and their impact on consumers about Georgia Power's long-term planning.

This April, the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) spotlighted the exceptional creativity and impact of the state's tech sector by announcing the 2025 Top 40 Most Innovative Companies at the highly anticipated Georgia Technology Summit.

Selected from over 100 statewide applicants, this year's honorees span sectors like fintech, healthtech, and artificial intelligence, with standouts including Alogent, BitPay, Brightwell, CENTEGIX, and Connected Analytics.

The awards not only celebrate innovation and financial impact but also reinforce Georgia's expanding reputation as a tech powerhouse. As TAG's President and CEO, Larry K. Williams, remarked,

“The Top 40 awards recognize and honor the best and brightest Georgia companies who are leading the way in innovation and impact. Each year TAG recognizes the companies who are keeping Georgia's technology ecosystem in the global spotlight and helping to grow and advance our state's technology strengths.”

Finalists enjoyed the opportunity to exhibit at the Summit, foster collaboration, and vie for a spot among TAG's Top 10 elite innovators.

For a comprehensive list of this year's distinguished companies and winners of special recognition including People's Choice Awards, visit the official Georgia Technology Summit Top 40 page.

Explore the regional impact and interviews with rising stars in the Atlanta Business Chronicle's feature on TAG's Top 40 innovative companies, and read about how companies like Brightwell are turning visions into market-shaping solutions in Brightwell's official recognition story.

Atlanta-based ScanTech AI Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: STAI) continues to strengthen its leadership in protecting global critical infrastructure with the recent delivery of an additional Sentinel® Fixed Gantry System to a key Canadian nuclear facility, reflecting the region's rising prominence in high-stakes security innovation.

Building on deployments from earlier this year, the Sentinel® system leverages proprietary AI and machine learning to conduct non-intrusive, high-throughput inspections for hazardous materials and contraband, serving mission-critical sites such as airports, borders, embassies, and power plants.

This repeat order not only emphasizes client trust in ScanTech AI's technology but also marks significant progress in the company's expansion strategy for high-security markets.

Notably, ScanTech exhibited at this year's Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid, reinforcing its global footprint; Vice President of Sales D. Williams Sr. remarked,

“The exceptional turnout of airport executives and strategic partners has created a tremendous opportunity to expand our market presence and accelerate growth.”

Beyond technical achievements, the company recently announced new partnerships and a diversified approach to market challenges, including the upcoming CustomsTrace AI™ platform and integrated AI-biometric security solutions.

Recent financial performance shows a challenging year for STAI shares, but ScanTech has reaffirmed its focus on innovation and resilience. The following table compares recent performance returns:

Period	STAI Return	S&P 500 Return
YTD	-82.89%	-5.31%
1-Year	-85.11%	+10.59%
3-Year	-84.24%	+34.78%

For additional details on the deployment and ScanTech AI's broader initiatives, visit the official ScanTech AI expansion press release, an overview on their latest financial and market news for ScanTech AI Systems, and insights on their critical infrastructure security strategy by ScanTech AI Systems.

As Atlanta cements its status as a national AI hub, a coalition led by Dr. Loretta Daniels and Georgia State University is answering the urgent call for workforce development through the AI Literacy Pipeline to Prosperity Project.

This pioneering initiative targets underserved communities, offering AI education from kindergarten through college in collaboration with partners like Operation HOPE and OpenAI. Addressing longstanding workforce disparities highlighted in Brookings Institution research - where women, Hispanics, and Black individuals remain underrepresented in tech leadership - this program expands access via AI internships, scholarships, and financial literacy training for Title I schools in south Atlanta.

According to Georgia State's official announcement on AI literacy programs for underserved communities, the pilot launches in summer 2025, supported by public and private sector leaders, and aims to serve as a model for inclusive economic advancement nationwide.

These local efforts echo new federal priorities, following the White House executive order to integrate AI learning and apprenticeship opportunities at every educational stage, with a focus on both student and educator training (White House executive order on advancing AI education for American youth).

Georgia's broader approach - including Governor Kemp's workforce development bills - underpins a statewide push for strategic upskilling and apprenticeships poised to close the AI skills gap for both youth and adult learners (Georgia government's press release on workforce development legislation).

As Dr. Daniels and her partners put it, Atlanta's approach is “inclusive economics” - where intentional workforce development is positioned not just as a response to AI disruption, but as a pathway to lead the next generation of tech innovation.

This month, the University of North Georgia (UNG) faces significant student dissent after announcing that its upcoming commencement will feature AI-powered name announcements instead of the traditional live readings by faculty, sparking a petition with over 2,000 signatures.

Students argue this shift undermines the ceremony's personal significance, with petition leaders stating,

“This deprives each student of the gratifying feeling of their name being mentioned with passion and pride by a professor who cares far more than an automated system ever will.”

The university, meanwhile, maintains that the technology - already in use at other Georgia institutions - improves pronunciation accuracy and enables added accessibility features like synchronized name displays and live captions.

As reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, online forums and petitions emphasize that many students view this as a loss of human connection during a milestone event, and question the perceived inconsistency of UNG's policies on AI in academics.

According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the university assures graduates that announcements will use professional voice actors and allow for manual corrections where needed, affirming,

“Each graduate's name is pronounced accurately and confidently.”

For a detailed look at student perspectives, the Change.org petition - now past 2,000 verified supporters - outlines concerns about tradition and authenticity, with one alum's comment featured:

“The students who go here deserve the graduation to be something to remember; having AI read the names off makes it less about the people and their accomplishment.”

Explore more details and ongoing reactions in the University Herald's coverage of UNG's AI graduation debate.

Peachtree Corners is redefining the smart city landscape by integrating NVIDIA's cutting-edge AI technology within its Curiosity Lab, making it one of the nation's first 5G-enabled smart cities to implement advanced real-world connected infrastructure.

Leveraging powerful NVIDIA L4 Tensor Core GPUs alongside NxGo's traffic management solutions, the Curiosity Lab's Innovation Center manages data from a remarkably extensive network of sensors and smart devices, resulting in a 120-fold increase in AI-powered video analytics performance compared to traditional CPU-based solutions.

This infrastructure supports a wide array of urban innovations - ranging from intelligent traffic flow and crowd management to digital twin simulations - underpinned by NVIDIA's Metropolis and NIM AI software stacks.

As Curiosity Lab Executive Director Brandon Branham notes,

“Our next growth phase is focused on bridging the physical city world environment and AI and giving our smart city ecosystem access to an advanced computing stack powered by NVIDIA... This is why we're working closely with Dell and NVIDIA.”

With a thriving workforce of 45,000 and a commitment to sustainable IoT innovation, Peachtree Corners - often recognized as #SiliconOrchard - has become a model of public-private partnership and leading-edge urban technology.

For a detailed breakdown of technology performance improvements, see the table below:

Technology	Functionality	Performance Gain
NVIDIA L4 Tensor Core GPU	AI video analytics, traffic, and crowd management	120x faster than CPUs
5G Smart Infrastructure	Real-time sensor data management	Seamless integration/expansion
NVIDIA Metropolis & NIM	Edge AI, digital twins	Enhanced simulation & insight capabilities

Discover more about Peachtree Corners' smart city revolution in the official Curiosity Lab press release, this technology integration overview, and comprehensive news coverage.

As Atlanta's AI-driven data center sector experiences explosive growth, Georgia policymakers are taking action to prevent rising power bills from unfairly impacting residents.

The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously approved new rules requiring large-load customers - such as new data centers exceeding 100 megawatts - to cover the full transmission, distribution, and incremental energy costs, moving Georgia in line with states like Ohio and Utah in adopting separate rate classes for these energy-intensive facilities.

This shift comes as projected electricity demand from data centers surged from 400 MW to 6,600 MW by 2030, prompting concerns about grid stress, environmental impact, and equity.

Georgia Power's 2025 Integrated Resource Plan now makes it mandatory for data centers to post front-end collateral for long-term energy contracts and prohibits passing these costs to residential or small business customers, with some ratepayers even slated for modest refunds as incentives lure more data center projects to the state.

However, consumer advocates and some legislators argue that loopholes remain, and question whether new rules go far enough to insulate families from further rate hikes.

As one lawmaker warned,

“We have a crisis coming our way in electric rates. These outrageous increases are going to be put on the citizens. Why should they bear the rate increases?”

To clarify the current policy landscape, see the table below:

Policy Component	Previous Approach	2025 Update
Who pays data center power costs?	Partially passed to all ratepayers	Data center customers cover all incremental costs
Collateral requirement	Not required	Mandatory for new centers' multi-year contracts
PSC oversight	Limited contract review	PSC must approve large-load contracts

Learn more about Georgia's evolving regulatory approach to data centers in this detailed report on SB 34 and PSC rulemaking by The Current, best practices from Data Center Frontier's analysis on energy cost allocation, and the local impact for Georgia households as examined in WGXA's coverage on consumer protection and refunds in Georgia.

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) took center stage in Georgia's tech landscape this April by hosting “The Future of AI Innovation: Georgia's AI Leaders” panel, bringing together educators, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss artificial intelligence's rapidly expanding role across the state.

The event, held at Aldridge Auditorium, spotlighted CAU's recent launch of AIHUB@CAU, a new center focused on advancing AI literacy, workforce inclusion, and innovation for underserved communities, in collaboration with Georgia Tech's NSF AI4OPT Institute and the National Science Foundation's ExpandAI initiative.

The center aims to close the AI skills gap among minority students and position HBCUs at the forefront of national AI advancement. As Francis Williams, CAU's VP of Research, explained,

“AIHUB@CAU will be instrumental in training the next generation of AI professionals. Increasing minority representation in AI will ensure a diverse workforce prepared for tomorrow's AI-driven economy.”

The April panel provided networking and learning opportunities, reinforcing CAU's leadership in connecting academic instruction to real-world AI applications.

Supported by a $2.79 million NSF grant, the initiative builds on faculty AI training cohorts and cross-campus partnerships. Detailed information about the event and its statewide impact can be found on Discover Atlanta's AI Innovation Leaders event page.

For a closer look at the collaborative work and educational programs driving inclusivity in Georgia's AI ecosystem, visit the AI4OPT official news archive which highlights milestones, partnerships, and the ongoing evolution of the state's AI research and workforce development.

Atlanta's tech sector continues to evolve through a dynamic interplay of innovation, equity, and community values, positioning the city at the forefront of responsible growth.

Techstars, a global entrepreneurship platform, remains a key catalyst for Atlanta founders by providing capital, mentorship, and connections, with recent achievements including multiple funding rounds, acquisitions, and robust accelerator programming - demonstrating a founder-first philosophy that fuels both economic mobility and opportunity across industries (Techstars April 2025 Update).

Meanwhile, the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation underscores the city's drive for broad equity by democratizing access to resources and supporting smart city initiatives from energy efficiency to digital literacy.

Community leaders and organizations, such as Atlanta Pride, are also standing firm against the national rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, reaffirming local commitments to inclusion and urging action to ensure that all voices remain part of Atlanta's future.

As the city prepares to launch its first comprehensive Climate Resilience Action Plan to address energy burden and infrastructure challenges (Atlanta's Climate Resilience Action Plan), collaboration among entrepreneurs, government, and advocacy groups proves vital in shaping a tech ecosystem where progress and shared prosperity go hand in hand.

“By eliminating these critical programs, institutions are deepening systemic inequities, making schools, workplaces, and communities less accessible, welcoming, and safe.”

Atlanta's ongoing efforts to balance innovation with social responsibility exemplify how regional tech communities can drive national conversations on growth, equity, and the common good.