This Month's Latest Tech News in Detroit, MI - Sunday August 31st 2025 Edition

Weekly commentary: Detroit at the crossroads of manufacturing, AI and practical governance - Detroit's new Apple Manufacturing Academy, opened August 19 in the First National Building, is a concrete pivot point where legacy manufacturing meets hands-on AI and smart‑factory training for small and medium businesses; the free in-person and upcoming virtual courses and one‑on‑one consultations with Apple engineers and MSU experts aim to boost productivity, quality and supply‑chain resilience (Apple Manufacturing Academy press release, Michigan State University Manufacturing Academy).

For Detroit workers and shop owners - whether a three‑person PPE maker or a larger supplier - practical AI skills matter; Nucamp's AI Essentials for Work offers a 15‑week, workplace‑focused path to apply those exact tools (Nucamp AI Essentials for Work registration).

Bootcamp	Length	Cost (early bird)	Register
AI Essentials for Work	15 Weeks	$3,582	Register for Nucamp AI Essentials for Work

“We're thrilled to welcome companies from across the country to the Apple Manufacturing Academy starting next month.”

Apple and MSU launch an Apple Manufacturing Academy in downtown Detroit - opening August 19 in the historic First National Building, the free program brings Apple engineers and Michigan State University experts together to help small- and mid-sized manufacturers adopt smart manufacturing and AI-driven operations; workshops and one-on-one consultations cover machine learning and deep learning in manufacturing, automation, using manufacturing data to boost product quality, and practical skills like project management, with online courses coming later this year.

The academy is part of Apple's broader U.S. investment and is already pitching hands‑on sessions and virtual consulting to businesses nationwide - register or learn more at the Michigan State University Manufacturing Academy information page or read Apple's official newsroom announcement for full program details, while local coverage highlights how even tiny shops (one participant described being “only three of us”) can get targeted help to scale efficiency and supply‑chain resilience.

Michigan State University Manufacturing Academy information page Apple's official newsroom announcement

“We're thrilled to welcome companies from across the country to the Apple Manufacturing Academy starting next month,” said Sabih Khan, Apple's chief operating officer.

City unveils $700K Detroit Startup Fund to seed local tech founders - Announced at Newlab at Michigan Central in front of more than 200 members of Detroit's entrepreneurship community, the city-backed Detroit Startup Fund deploys $700,000 to award 26 grants over the next year (20 seed grants of $15,000 and six scale grants of $50,000) with administration by the DEGC and a stated goal of keeping talent and high-growth startups in Detroit while generating more than $1 million in local economic impact; eligible applicants must be Detroit-based or led by founders building in the city (established within the last 10 years), and scale-grant candidates must show at least $100,000 in outside investment and a path to raise $250,000.

Round one applications are open through August 25 - learn how to apply at the Detroit Startup Fund application portal on the City of Detroit website or read local coverage from Michigan Chronicle coverage of the Detroit Startup Fund and a practical how-to guide from BridgeDetroit on applying to the Detroit Startup Fund.

Fund	Total	Grants	Admin	Apply by
Detroit Startup Fund	$700,000	20 × $15,000 seed; 6 × $50,000 scale (26 total)	DEGC	Detroit Startup Fund application deadline - Aug 25 (Round 1)

“Detroit always has been a city of innovators willing to take risks to create something new.”

DTE and Consumers Energy compete to power Michigan's data-center expansion - utilities are racing to lock in hyperscalers and data-center developers as Michigan's surplus capacity and incentives draw a potential 7 GW pipeline, with about 3 GW in “advanced discussions” that could hit the grid soon; DTE says that near-term ramp will lean on existing generation plus new battery storage (construction slated to begin in 2026) while larger baseload investments - and billions in capital spending - hinge on signed deals, a dynamic that's already pushed land-secured projects through local zoning and set the clock ticking on interconnection and rate design (see the DTE report on Power Engineering and local coverage on MLive for context on how Consumers is also courting similar customers).

Metric	Detail
Potential pipeline	7 GW (DTE discussions with hyperscalers and others)
Near-term load	~3 GW (land-secured, advanced discussions)
Battery storage build	To begin in 2026 to meet early demand
Capital plan (2025–2029)	~$24B (including ~$10B for cleaner generation)

“We're seeing a lot of interest in Michigan because we have excess capacity… So that's drawn data center providers to the state.” - Joi Harris, DTE President and COO (Power Engineering)

AITX / RAD reports revenue surge, product launches and ISC West traction - Detroit's AI-security playbook is rattling the market: the company says recurring monthly revenue could climb by $120,000–$200,000 this quarter after new orders (including seven solar-powered RIO™ 360 towers for a top‑25 U.S. healthcare provider), while recent filings show dramatic topline growth - a reported $1,182,800 in Q1 (a 312% year‑over‑year jump) and unaudited fiscal‑year 2025 revenues cited near $6.13M - all amid a flurry of product launches, channel expansion and ISC West visibility that investors and operators are watching closely (see the AITX/RAD company press release and the TipRanks roundup for details).

The mix of concrete deployments, rising rental (RMR) income and new solutions like ROAMEO and RADCam is the sort of operational narrative that can move contracts and adoption faster than press releases alone; the seven‑tower healthcare buy, in particular, is a tangible signal that buyers are piloting replacement of legacy guard services with autonomous, subscription‑driven systems.

Metric	Detail
Expected new RMR (Q2 FY2026)	$120,000–$200,000 monthly (AITX release)
Q1 revenue (reported)	$1,182,800 (+312% YoY)
Unaudited FY2025 revenue	~$6.13M (275% increase, TipRanks)
Notable order	7 × RIO 360 towers for a top‑25 U.S. healthcare provider

“Our growth in recurring revenue reflects the trust our clients are placing in RAD solutions and the progress we're making toward operational profitability. Orders like this one continue to build our RMR foundation, driving the financial stability and scale necessary to support long-term success. We're closing in on a critical milestone and remain focused on executing our strategy.”

Controversy: RAD claims firearm-detection would have flagged NYC shooter - Detroit-based AITX and its subsidiary RAD released a striking image analysis claiming their AI-powered firearm-detection analytic identified a visible M4‑style rifle in surveillance stills moments before the July 28 suspect entered 345 Park Avenue's lobby, and the company says real‑time alerts could have triggered lights, audio deterrents, lockdowns and immediate notices to security or police (AITX and RAD firearm-detection analysis of NYC shooting).

The assertion landed amid wider debate: investors and analysts point to AITX's challenging finances and a TipRanks “Underperform” technical sentiment that urges caution about conflating product claims with commercial viability (TipRanks roundup on AITX investor sentiment and firearm-detection claims), while civil‑liberties and watchdog groups have repeatedly warned that weapon‑detection pilots can overpromise and produce false positives - the FTC's action against another vendor shows regulatory scrutiny is real (EFF coverage of FTC action against Evolv weapon-detection vendor).

The episode crystallizes a hard question for building owners and public officials: promising footage and a high‑confidence flag are powerful, but proving reliability, limiting false alarms and embedding clear governance are what turn seconds of detection into safer outcomes.

“We cannot continue relying on passive cameras that simply record such tragedies,” said Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO and founder of AITX and RAD.

Detroit pilots drones + AI to audit municipal building energy efficiency - Detroit is testing autonomous drones, thermal imaging and Lamarr.AI's AI platform in partnership with Michigan Central and Newlab to accelerate municipal energy retrofits, turning what used to take weeks of scaffolding and ladders into rapid, data-driven action; according to Construction Dive report on Detroit drone and AI building energy audits and a Lamarr.AI/Michigan Central release, the pilot scanned three city buildings (including the Fourth Precinct and Engine 27), uncovered more than 460 thermal deficiencies in days, and produced high-resolution thermal 3D models and energy simulations that show targeted upgrades could cut HVAC energy use by up to 22 percent - outputs that feed prioritized retrofit recommendations and tiered fixes like targeted weatherization, window replacement and continuous wall insulation while Airspace Link and state funds smooth permissions and scaling.

Metric	Detail
Buildings inspected	3 municipal buildings (pilot sites)
Thermal deficiencies found	460+ (insulation gaps, potential water intrusion)
Projected HVAC savings	Up to 22% at tested sites
Report turnaround	Detect-level <3 days; Audit-level ≈1 week

“This partnership represents what's most powerful about cross-sector collaboration - bringing together public agencies, startups, and infrastructure partners to accelerate meaningful progress toward sustainability.”

Automate 2025 spotlights manufacturing AI that could reshape Detroit factories - Realtime Robotics used the Detroit floor to debut Resolver, a cloud-based optimization engine that turns months of manual robot path‑planning into minutes and demoed multi‑robot welding cells that shaved cycle time from 41.47 seconds to 32.04 seconds, with reports of roughly 50% less engineering effort and measurable throughput gains; read the company launch for technical detail and the show coverage on how AI is cutting cycle times and reshaping workcell design (Realtime Robotics launches Resolver press release, Automate 2025 AI manufacturing coverage by IEN).

For Detroit OEMs and integrators, the so‑what is clear: a 20%‑plus speed lift on a crowded welding cell can buy extra shifts of output without new robots, and Resolver's simulator integrations aim to move teams from tedious hand‑coding to AI‑assisted system design and faster, safer commissioning.

Metric	Detail
Demonstrated cycle time	41.47s → 32.04s (welding workcell)
Engineering effort	~50% reduction (company claims)
Automate 2025 presence	Booth #9101, Hall E (Detroit demos)

“Resolver has the computational power to generate better motion paths than human programmers in both simple and complex workcells.”

Nunchi launches in Ann Arbor to AI-enable networking and introductions - the AI-powered People Intelligence platform is rolling into the region with tools designed to turn static member lists into dynamic relationships, automatically surface engagement opportunities, and “supercharge your introductions” so connectors and membership teams can scale a personal touch without losing authenticity; learn more on Nunchi's site Nunchi AI-powered People Intelligence platform and see local backing in the Ann Arbor funders report Ann Arbor SPARK 2024 annual report on local funders.

Core features like Smart Introductions, Engagement Alerts and Member Insights aim for measurable lift - Nunchi cites outcomes such as 3x more meaningful connections and 70% faster network building - and promises practical wins (virtual fireside chats hitting 85% attendance) that make needle-moving community engagement feel less like guesswork and more like an always-on relationship concierge.

Metric / Feature	Detail
Core features	Smart Introductions; Engagement Alerts; Member Insights; Quick Actions
Program outcomes	3× more meaningful connections; 70% faster network building
Program success	Virtual fireside chats → 85% attendance

"It has been absolutely wonderful working with the Nunchi team! They are prompt, personable, and creative. It is so exciting to see the software come to life! The capabilities of Nunchi have greatly exceeded expectations and we love using it." - Heather Leszczynski, Chief Development and Engagement Officer, YMCA Ann Arbor

University of Michigan wins $5.5M grant for INSIGHT-CPR AI wearable - the American Heart Association awarded UM a two‑year, $5.5 million grant to build INSIGHT‑CPR, an AI‑integrated wearable sensor and algorithm led by Dr. Cindy Hsu that aims to give rescuers real‑time blood‑pressure feedback during CPR so compression technique, hand placement and medication timing can be tailored to each patient; read the American Heart Association INSIGHT‑CPR press release for the broader $10.5M funding context and UM's project details (American Heart Association INSIGHT‑CPR press release) and see EMS1's report on the University of Michigan $5.5M grant and device concept (EMS1 report on UM INSIGHT‑CPR grant).

Partners include UM's Max Harry Weil Institute, Michigan Medicine and engineering teams with design support from CannonDesign/Blue Cottage; the working commercial version remains years away, but the memorable proposition is simple - a band that can wrap a wrist or finger and turn guesswork into an immediate arterial readout that could let clinicians convert seconds of better compressions into lives saved.

Item	Detail
Grant	University of Michigan - $5.5M (two years)
Program	INSIGHT-CPR: AI + wearable sensor for hemodynamic‑directed CPR
Lead	Dr. Cindy Hsu (UM Emergency Medicine)
Partners	Max Harry Weil Institute; Michigan Medicine; UM College of Engineering; CannonDesign / Blue Cottage; CHOP; East Anglian Air Ambulance
Commercialization	Goal to develop and test hardware/algorithm; commercial device still years away

“Even if we make just a 10% improvement in survival outcomes, that saves 60,000 adult lives and 2,000 pediatric lives every year.” - Dr. Cindy Hsu

State funding and the Detroit Tech Fellowship aim to retain AI and tech talent - Michigan's statewide push to embed AI into education and workforce policy is no small promise: the Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity's “AI and the Workforce Plan” projects as much as $70 billion in economic impact and up to 130,000 good‑paying jobs if the state invests in training and infrastructure, while targeted grant programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund grant program (Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity) have a track record of upskilling more than 175,000 workers and supporting 7,100 businesses; those statewide levers pair with campus and community resources - see MSU Advancing AI resources and guidelines and signature showcases like MSU's Innovation Celebration that surface students and startups ready to stay local.

Together, state grants, employer-driven training and local fellowships such as the Detroit Tech Fellowship create the practical pathways - short courses, apprenticeships and fellow stipends - that make staying in Detroit a viable career move instead of a leap to the coasts.

“Michigan needs to take action now to make sure we stay ahead in the future – creating a resilient economy for our residents and employers.” - Susan Corbin, Director, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity

Conclusion: What this week's signals mean for Detroit's tech workforce and readers - Michigan's new AI-driven workforce strategy makes clear this moment isn't about fear but choice: invest in people or watch jobs migrate.

From the state's AI and the Workforce Plan to factory-floor AI pilots and municipal drone audits, the pattern is consistent - public dollars, private labs and local startups are stitching training, infrastructure and pilots together so Detroit can capture higher‑value roles; read the plan at Michigan unveils AI workforce plan - ClickOnDetroit for details (Michigan unveils groundbreaking AI workforce plan - ClickOnDetroit) and watch national training hubs like the National Academy for AI Instruction scale educator readiness (OpenAI and Microsoft back AI academy - Detroit News).

For workers and small employers looking to convert those signals into paychecks and promotions, practical routes matter - short, applied programs such as Nucamp's AI Essentials for Work teach promptcraft and use‑case skills employers want now (Register for Nucamp AI Essentials for Work) - because a scanned building that reveals 460 thermal gaps or an AI wearable that could turn seconds into lives saved only creates value if people know how to act on the data.

Program	Length	Cost (early bird)	Register
AI Essentials for Work	15 Weeks	$3,582	Register for Nucamp AI Essentials for Work

“Michigan's ability to stay competitive in an AI-driven economy depends on how well it builds and adapts its workforce through modern, accessible and real-world training.” - Susan Corbin, Director, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity