This Month's Latest Tech News in Pittsburgh, PA - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Pittsburgh's AI revolution is charging ahead, breaking records in venture capital and global recognition. In Q1 2025 alone, Pittsburgh startups raised an unprecedented $689 million across just 12 deals - surpassing all of 2024's funding - demonstrating the city's dominance in AI and robotics investments, most notably through landmark raises from Agility Robotics and Abridge AI. This follows a broader 2024 trend, where institutional VC investment reached a historic $999 million and deal volume soared by nearly 34%, cementing Pittsburgh's status as a top destination for life sciences and artificial intelligence innovation.

As highlighted in Innovation Works' latest report,

“The record deal volume underscores Pittsburgh's position as a burgeoning hub for AI and life sciences innovation. Our research institutions and startup ecosystem continue to produce world-class companies that attract global investment.”

Recent events like Carnegie Mellon's 2025 AI Venture Studio Demo Day further spotlight the region's talent and industry leadership.

For an in-depth breakdown of the landmark deals and expert commentary, see Technical.ly's report on Pittsburgh's record venture capital surge driven by AI, plus the annual analysis from Innovation Works on the city's tech ecosystem, and discover recently funded players at Revli's Pittsburgh startup list.

Company	Sector	Amount Raised	Stage
Agility Robotics	Robotics (Humanoid)	$400M	Later-stage
Abridge	AI Note-taking	$250M	Series D
Diamond Kinetics	Sports tech	$18.6M	-
Thoro	AI-powered robotics	$6.1M	-
FifthWall Solutions	Cyber insurance	$6M	-
Atlas Robotics	AI-guided vehicles	$2.8M	-
Hummingbird Systems	Robotics	$2.6M	Early-stage
NovoLINC	Semiconductor	$2M	Early-stage
1486 Labs	Entrepreneurial networking	$1M	Early-stage

Pittsburgh is launching a bold bid to reclaim its industrial leadership by forming the AI Strike Team coalition, a collaboration of industry, academia, and government leaders determined to transform the region into a global AI hub by 2028.

At the heart of this movement is the conversion of legacy energy infrastructure, such as the former Homer City coal plant, into a state-of-the-art, gas-powered data center campus - set to be the nation's largest and supplying up to 4.5 GW for AI workloads with 60–65% lower emissions compared to the site's coal era.

This is part of a multi-phase investment exceeding $10 billion, promising 10,000 construction jobs and at least 1,000 long-term roles in tech, operations, and infrastructure (Pittsburgh Builds Largest Gas-Fueled AI Data Center Campus).

The AI Strike Team's strategy includes the Stargate Project - linked to OpenAI and eyeing a $500 billion nationwide AI infrastructure push - while seeking to secure public and private funding for AI data centers, prioritize workforce development, and repurpose underused industrial sites like the Aliquippa riverfront.

As executive director Joanna Doven explained, “We have a moment in time where we can lead in the new AI economy... AI is the new steel. It's going to be ubiquitous...

used by everyone in some way.”

“We are a leading city in AI, but it's not translating to significant job growth... We need to change that by telling our story and recruiting companies.”

Local leaders agree the benefits will ripple throughout the region, modernizing manufacturing and creating opportunities beyond skilled trades - though success depends on energy readiness and effective public-private partnerships (A Strike Team Aims to Make Pittsburgh a Top Tech City by 2028).

Below is a summary of Pittsburgh's AI infrastructure revival:

Initiative	Details
Largest AI Data Center	3,200 acres, 4.5 GW output, $10B+ investment
AI Strike Team	Coalition for funding, jobs, innovation, and policy
Stargate Project	Potential $500B in national data center investment
Job Impact	10,000+ construction jobs, 1,000+ long-term roles
Regional Focus	Infrastructure upgrades, partnerships, modernized sites

For more on this transformative push, see how the AI Strike Team aims to drive an AI boom in Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh is set to host "Forging the Future: The Intersection of Health, AI and Tech," a premier three-day global forum from October 19-21, 2025, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and global experts to chart the future of health sciences and artificial intelligence.

The event will spotlight Pittsburgh's leadership in health tech through curated roundtables, hands-on demonstrations, and site visits to major innovation hubs, while emphasizing transformative initiatives like Pitt's collaboration with Vizzhy Inc.

to launch the GAINMED AI-powered healthcare platform and establish Pitt-Vizzhy Longevity Labs in partnership with Illumina, enabling early disease detection and precision medicine worldwide.

Attendees will engage in working sessions on AI policy and health equity, and witness the city's unique fusion of academic, clinical, and tech innovation, a point underscored by Pitt Chancellor Joan Gabel's statement:

“We have the infrastructure, the expertise and - critically - a culture of innovation rooted in partnership. That makes Pittsburgh not just a place to talk about the future, but to build it together.”

Partnerships with organizations such as Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, and the Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance further bolster Pittsburgh's position as a national innovation leader.

For more on the forum's scope, highlights, and strategic partnerships, read the official announcement on PittWire's global forum coverage, an in-depth profile on the Pitt Med + AI: Transforming Global Health Symposium, and the recent Pitt-Vizzhy AI partnership announcement.

Duolingo has announced a transformative shift to an “AI-first” strategy, initiating the gradual replacement of contractors with artificial intelligence tools across roles that can be automated.

In a company-wide email, CEO Luis von Ahn emphasized that the move aims to “remove bottlenecks so we can do more with the outstanding Duos that we already have,” and clarified, “this isn't about replacing Duos with AI...

We want you to focus on creative work and real problems, not repetitive tasks”

“AI is already changing how work gets done. It's not a question of if or when. It's happening now. When there's a shift this big, the worst thing you can do is wait.” - Luis von Ahn, CEO

Operational changes include limiting new hires to roles that cannot be performed by AI, evaluating employees based on AI usage, and restructuring workflows to prioritize automation over manual processes.

This strategy follows Duolingo's earlier mobile-first pivot and mirrors similar industry moves, such as at Shopify and Klarna. The company asserts that AI will accelerate content creation, enable new features like the Video Call tutor, and provide staff with more training and AI tooling for advancement.

The table below summarizes key facets of Duolingo's transition:

Initiative	Details
Contractor Reduction	Gradually end roles that AI can perform
Hiring & Reviews	AI use assessed in hiring and employee reviews
Headcount	Approval only if automation isn't feasible
AI Capabilities	Enables rapid content generation and new product features
Support for Staff	More training, mentorship, and AI tools

For further details, explore Duolingo's official statement on its AI-first shift, a critical analysis of AI-driven workforce changes in tech, and industry reaction in The Verge's coverage of Duolingo's evolving strategy.

Pittsburgh native Dr. Douglas Matty has been appointed as the Department of Defense's new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO), marking a milestone for the region's tech leadership on the national stage.

A West Point graduate and MIT doctorate holder, Matty brings nearly 30 years of Army service - including key roles as Director of the Army's AI Task Force and founder of the U.S. Army AI Integration Center - coupled with academic and private sector experience focused on AI for defense applications.

In his new role, Matty is tasked with accelerating the Pentagon's adoption of AI, data analytics, and digital strategies to provide a strategic decision advantage in military operations, overseeing initiatives from responsible autonomous systems to secure, scalable mission infrastructure.

According to the official announcement, “Matty will oversee efforts to accelerate the department's adoption of AI, analytics, and data to enable decision advantage on the battlefield.”

As the third permanent head of the AI office, he succeeds Radha Plumb and steps in at a critical juncture, aligning with policy priorities to modernize U.S. military capabilities.

For a deep dive into Matty's background and mission, read the detailed ExecutiveGov profile on his appointment.

Discover a local perspective from the Pittsburgh Business Times' coverage of Matty's rise, and see AIM Research's insights on his vision for Pentagon AI strategy in their exclusive leadership report.

The following table summarizes Matty's credentials and recent roles:

Education	Military Service	Notable Roles
BS, Computer Engineering (West Point); PhD, Engineering Systems (MIT)	30 years – Air Defense Artillery, Operations Research	Director, Army AI Task Force; Founder, Army AI Integration Center; Director of AI for Contested Logistics (UAH)

Pittsburgh-based Lovelace AI, founded in 2023 by former Google Cloud AI chief Andrew Moore, has closed a seed funding round led by RRE Ventures to advance its real-time crisis-response technology.

Lovelace AI specializes in synthesizing multimodal data for rapid, informed decision-making in high-stakes scenarios, with applications spanning national security, disaster relief, and commercial operations.

The fresh capital will be used for product development, talent acquisition, and scaling deployment of its flagship Elemental platform, which features AI-powered data fusion, predictive analytics, and dynamic knowledge graphs.

Moore described the company's mission succinctly:

“Can AI combined with careful mathematical statistics make sense of hopelessly complex situations quickly and accurately enough to keep humans safe? That's what the Lovelace team has been relentlessly working on, and with this new RRE partnership, we will be able to significantly accelerate.”

Lovelace's recent recognition as a high-potential startup on “AI Avenue” in Bakery Square - and its collaboration with tech partners like Nvidia - underscore Pittsburgh's expanding AI ecosystem.

For the latest funding details and technical background, see the Lovelace AI seed round announcement, insights from Technical.ly's Lovelace AI profile, and the official PR Newswire release.

Detail	Information
Company	Lovelace AI, Inc.
Founded	2023
Founder	Andrew Moore
Funding Round	Seed
Lead Investor	RRE Ventures
Funding Date	May 2025
Core Technology	AI Decision Support, Data Fusion

As artificial intelligence and surging energy demands reshape Pittsburgh's economic landscape, ECI Telecom is responding by expanding its workforce by 25%, hiring 100 new employees to support automation and industrial control needs across sectors like power, oil & gas, life sciences, and manufacturing.

This hiring surge reflects a broader realignment in the region's job market, where companies like Duolingo are reducing roles automatable by AI, even as others grow to meet digital infrastructure demands.

ECI's AI-powered solutions, particularly those embedded in ERP systems, deliver tangible benefits: a 27% reduction in task processing time, 35% increase in accuracy, and a 25% reduction in operational costs for small and medium businesses.

These strategic shifts are also fueling workforce-focused events like the 2025 Manufacturing Works Summit, which will address upskilling and AI-driven manufacturing employment pipelines in Pittsburgh (learn more about the MFG Works Summit).

The convergence of AI, energy, and advanced automation positions Pittsburgh as a national leader in tech-driven economic renewal - a trend highlighted by leading industry observers who note, “Pittsburgh's economic landscape is poised for a transformative period of growth and opportunity, signaling an exciting time for businesses, innovators and workers alike”

Pittsburgh's technology ecosystem stands on the brink of a new era as we kick off 2025…the field of AI is experiencing an explosive surge, and Pittsburgh is at its epicenter thanks to world-renowned institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

For additional insight into how AI is creating and transforming regional tech jobs, read this in-depth report on AI's impact on Pittsburgh's evolving workforce.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are making artificial intelligence (AI) a legislative and economic priority, responding both to opportunities and challenges as AI accelerates across sectors.

In 2025, bipartisan leaders from both state chambers have hosted hearings and developed new committees - such as the House Communications & Technology Committee - to craft consumer protections and promote responsible AI usage, from automating government to boosting healthcare and finance in Pittsburgh.

Their efforts face headwinds from a controversial federal budget bill, which contains a ten-year moratorium on state-level AI regulations. “The moratorium would slow AI development,” argued Rep.

Joe Ciresi, who called the measure “big government” and warned it would impede tailored consumer protections at the state level. Pennsylvania's 2024 ban on AI-generated deepfakes, particularly after an incident involving minors in Lancaster, is now at risk if the moratorium passes.

A recent Senate hearing led by Senator Tracy Pennycuick highlighted that “AI is already changing how we deliver healthcare, how we educate our students, and how we protect sensitive data,” underlining the urgency for state-level leadership.

The session also revealed AI's dual impact: potentially displacing up to 85 million jobs globally, but creating 97 million new roles over the next decade, with Pennsylvania aiming to upskill its workforce.

As the legislature reviews more than a dozen AI policy proposals and readies upcoming reports, national data shows the Commonwealth is among 31 states pursuing AI legislation this year, with most focusing on transparency, privacy, and child protection.

For a broader view of ongoing legislative battles, read how Pennsylvania officials oppose federal attempts to block state AI regulation, explore the state's latest AI policy proposals and hearings, and see how AI-related legislation is evolving across the nation.

The rapid expansion of AI and hyperscale data centers is placing unprecedented pressure on Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania's energy infrastructure, prompting urgent calls for grid modernization and policy reform.

Utility regulators and industry leaders warn that new data centers could consume up to 30% of Allegheny and Beaver counties' peak power load, with planned facilities demanding nearly 1,000 megawatts each and a statewide data center power use forecast to grow 160% by 2030.

Investment in massive, lower-emission projects like the 4.5 GW Homer City gas-fueled campus and repurposed nuclear facilities exemplify the region's strategy to leverage abundant natural gas and nuclear resources.

As highlighted in Pennsylvania weighs how to manage power-hungry data centers, debates intensify over fair utility tariffs, cost-sharing for necessary upgrades, and protecting ratepayers from “stranded investments.” Grid operators, such as PJM Interconnection, caution that rising data center demand, retirement of older plants, and extreme weather could push the energy system's limits; peak load estimates for this summer have already hit 154,000 MW. Policy actions - including a statewide hearing and fast-track permitting discussions - support a shift toward smart siting and diversified, resilient energy sources.

According to The Future of Data Centers and Powering the AI Revolution, Pittsburgh's existing transmission lines, repurposed industrial sites, and robust production of natural gas and nuclear energy position it to lead this transformation.

As a Consumer Energy Alliance analysis makes clear in Powering AI: Why America's Energy Grid Needs an Upgrade, upgrading transmission, embracing a balanced energy mix, and location planning are key to fostering affordable, reliable, and innovative AI-driven growth statewide.

Leidos has announced a landmark investment of $10 million in a five-year collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh's Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE) to accelerate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence tools for disease detection and management.

This partnership will focus on creating AI-powered diagnostics for early identification of cancer and heart disease - tools capable of reaching up to 90% accuracy - and aims to significantly reduce diagnostic turnaround times, improve personalized care, and expand access for underserved communities including veterans.

The alliance also prioritizes educating future healthcare and AI professionals through internships, symposiums, and practical programs. As Liz Porter, president of Leidos' Health and Civil Sector, notes:

“AI can diagnose heart disease early with up to 90% accuracy ... AI can improve survival rates … [and] helps fast-track veterans' access to benefits by simplifying doctors' paperwork.”

The partnership underscores a rigorous commitment to ethical AI, with consistent human oversight to mitigate bias and errors.

The University of Pittsburgh's pathology department, among the nation's largest, analyzes over 24 million specimens annually and is leveraging the partnership to address increasing demand and workforce shortages.

For more background and insights into this initiative's regional and national impact, see the official announcement from Pitt's School of Medicine and Axios' coverage of how this AI-driven strategy targets cancer, heart disease, and health disparities.

Project Duration	Investment	Key Focus	Annual Specimens Analyzed (Pitt)	AI Accuracy (Heart Disease)
5 years	$10 million	Cancer & Heart Disease Detection	24 million+	Up to 90%

This month, global media groups are uniting to demand higher standards of integrity from AI companies as concerns mount over the use of journalistic content in generative models without proper consent or credit.

At the World News Media Congress 2025 in Kraków, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) announced the "News Integrity in the Age of AI" initiative, representing thousands of outlets and receiving endorsements from broad alliances like the North American Broadcasters Association and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

The coalition outlined five principles for responsible AI - ranging from mandatory authorization for content use to formal dialogues for developing safety and transparency standards.

These principles, set out to safeguard factual journalism and protect fair remuneration for creators, are summarized below:

Principle	Description
Authorization	News content use in AI only with creator's consent
Fair Recognition	Ensure journalists are fairly acknowledged and compensated
Accuracy & Attribution	Make original sources visible in AI outputs
Plurality	Support diverse media voices in AI training
Dialogue	Invite tech firms to co-create standards on ethics and reliability

As lawsuits like The New York Times vs.

OpenAI highlight tension over copyright and "fair use" claims, media leaders stress collaboration.

“Organizations and institutions that see truth and facts as the desirable core of a democracy and the foundation of an empowered society should now come together at one table to shape the next era. We can make this work – but only together.” - Ladina Heimgartner, WAN-IFRA President

To see the full scope of these efforts and endorsements, consult the official EBU summary of the initiative (EBU call for AI companies to protect news integrity), a detailed breakdown of the five global principles (WAN-IFRA's international appeal to AI developers), and coverage addressing ongoing industry challenges (AP News on the media's AI code of practice).

Pittsburgh has rapidly emerged as a blueprint for AI ecosystem growth, thanks to its powerful fusion of research universities, entrepreneurial dynamism, and public-private policy initiatives.

In 2024, the region shattered records with $999 million in venture capital driven predominantly by AI and life sciences, as investment volume soared 33.8% over the prior year.

As detailed by Innovation Works' report on Pittsburgh's tech investment boom, global players like Nvidia, homegrown companies on “AI Avenue,” and anchor institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and Pitt have positioned the city at the heart of America's “Fifth Industrial Revolution.” Meanwhile, the city's startup scene remains robust, with firms like Four Growers (Robotics, $9M), PeopleOne Health (Diagnostics, $32M), and ThoroughCare (Enterprise Health, $5M) among the top recently funded, as documented in the list of Pittsburgh's funded startups for 2025:

Company Name	Sector	Funding (USD)	Recent Funding Date
PeopleOne Health	Health Diagnostics	$32M	Oct 2024
Four Growers	Robotics & Automation	$9M	Nov 2024
ThoroughCare	Health Care/Enterprise	$5M	Nov 2024

From the industrial roots that birthed modern AI at CMU to today's commercial corridor hosting over 21 AI leaders, the city's progress is enriched by energetic state and business collaboration - exemplified by the AI Strike Team and forward-looking workforce policies.

Yet, experts from CMU and economic leaders emphasize the importance of responsible growth, energy sustainability, and community engagement in this period of accelerated change.

As one official noted:

“The record deal volume underscores Pittsburgh's position as a burgeoning hub for AI and life sciences innovation. Our research institutions and startup ecosystem continue to produce world-class companies that attract global investment.”

With robust job creation, active policy dialogue, and globally recognized research, Pittsburgh now serves as a national and international model for cities seeking sustainable, inclusive, and innovative AI-driven growth.

For more on Pittsburgh's unique AI history and emerging opportunities, explore how Pittsburgh is leading the AI industrial revolution.