This Month's Latest Tech News in San Antonio, TX - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

San Antonio's innovation scene is accelerating in 2025, driven by leaps in technology education, rapid AI adoption, and a surge of investment. San Antonio College recently launched a cutting-edge Data Science and AI program - developed with Intel, AWS, and major university partners - to address a projected 56% local job growth in tech roles, with $400,000 in workforce funding and stackable microcredentials to bridge economic gaps.

As Dr. Henry Griffith notes,

“We're not just teaching skills - we're building futures. Our students aren't just learning about data science and AI; they're becoming the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.”

Lone Star State startups raised nearly $2.9 billion in Q1 2025, fueling breakthroughs in cybersecurity, automation, and biotechnology according to Crunchbase's Texas startup funding report (see major investment table below).

On the consumer front, Crime Stoppers' Safe Text AI tool providing instant safety information for parents is providing parents instant access to safety, mental health, and cybersecurity information, streamlining guidance and reducing stress for San Antonio families.

For those interested in joining the tech boom, explore bootcamps and scholarships designed for rapid upskilling and career mobility at Nucamp's scholarship and financing portal.

Company	Sector	Funding	Location	Month
Saronic	Autonomous nautical vessels	$600M	Austin	Feb
NinjaOne	Automated endpoint management	$500M	Austin	Feb
Island	Secure enterprise browser	$250M	Dallas	Mar
Apptronik	Humanoid robots	$53M	Austin	Mar
Colossal Biosciences	Gene editing / De-extinction	$200M	Austin	Jan

Researchers at UTSA have sounded the alarm on a newly identified but critical vulnerability facing modern software development: "package hallucination" in AI code generation.

Their comprehensive study found that when AI-powered coding tools, such as large language models (LLMs), generate code, up to 21.7% of package recommendations from open-source models and 5.2% from commercial models referenced fictitious or non-existent third-party libraries, a phenomenon that leaves developers vulnerable to malicious exploits.

Attackers can leverage these hallucinations - termed "slopsquatting" - by registering and uploading malicious packages under these invented names to repositories like npm or PyPI, making it dangerously easy for unwitting developers to download malware through seemingly legitimate AI-generated code.

Joe Spracklen, lead researcher, warns,

“It doesn't take a convoluted set of circumstances... It's just typing in one command that most people who work in those programming languages type every day. That's all it takes. It's very direct and very simple.”

Their results, accepted at the USENIX Security Symposium 2025, involved analyzing 2.23 million code samples and confirmed that nearly 440,000 referenced hallucinated packages, with 205,000 unique invented names - repeatedly recommended by AI systems to different users.

The following table summarizes these findings:

LLM Model Type	Hallucination Rate
Open-source	21.7%
Commercial	5.2%
Unique Hallucinated Names	205,474

Mitigation strategies such as cross-referencing AI recommendations with official package registries and foundational LLM improvements are urgently needed as 97% of developers now use AI tools.

For an in-depth breakdown of the study and its cybersecurity implications, see ScienceDaily's coverage of AI threats in software development and The Cyber Express' analysis on supply chain vulnerabilities, while Dark Reading's feature details how attackers are actively exploiting these AI-induced risks.

Texas has taken a national lead on responsible AI policy as legislators advanced HB 149, the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA), a comprehensive bill regulating the state's use of artificial intelligence.

After extensive cross-industry consultation, the act passed decisively in both chambers - 146-3 in the House and unanimously in the Senate - and is set to take effect January 1, 2026, pending Governor Abbott's signature.

TRAIGA bars government agencies from using AI to assign “social scores” or rank people on personal data, and establishes a regulatory sandbox that encourages innovation while outlining clear frameworks on civil penalties for misuse.

Certain institutions, such as hospital districts and higher education, are exempted to ensure flexibility for public health and research. The following table summarizes key legislative milestones for HB 149:

Date	Action	Result
April 24, 2025	House Final Passage	146-3 Yeas
May 23, 2025	Senate Final Passage	31-0 Yeas
May 31, 2025	Enrolled	Awaiting Governor's Signature

Industry and policy groups celebrated the bill's balance between fostering AI advancement and protecting civil liberties.

“TRAIGA provides a responsible, light touch framework...paving the path for Texas to lead the charge in American dominance in this essential space,”

observed David Dunmoyer, Director for Better Tech for Tomorrow.

While some critics argue TRAIGA could go further to protect citizens, its passage places Texas at the forefront of AI innovation and oversight. For in-depth details, see the Texas Tribune's comprehensive analysis of HB 149 responsible AI legislation, follow the latest legislative updates on Texas AI bill from Transparency Coalition AI, and track official timelines via the FastDemocracy Texas bill tracking portal for HB 149.

San Antonio-based Wytec International has launched a 30-day no-cost pilot of its cutting-edge AI-powered gunshot and drug detection system, marking a significant advance in public safety technology for Texas schools and government facilities.

Developed in response to growing concerns over campus safety, Wytec's patented sensors integrate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and secure wireless networks to pinpoint gunshots and detect smoke, fire, drugs, and hazardous agents, while enabling administrators to verify incidents before first responders are notified - dramatically reducing false positives seen in older solutions.

Deployed under a multi-state government contract with the TXShare Cooperative Purchasing Program, Wytec's system will be available to more than 170 US cities, 50 counties, and over 40 special districts, including police departments and school districts.

Backed by a track record of lab testing yielding “better than 90 percent accuracy” for gunshot detection and powered by strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Lemko Corporation and Trabus Technologies, Wytec's solution underscores the city's leadership in smart safety innovations.

As GovTech reports, Wytec's LPN-16 cellular base station and companion app provide real-time alerts, video, and positional data to school security staff.

The pilot, rolling out this year, leverages the expertise of defense industry veterans and supports a contract pipeline valued up to $2.4 billion. For more on pilot participation and deployment details, see Wytec's official announcement.

As stated in their press release,

“The pilot features a phased AI technology approach using a private, secure wireless connection to eliminate interference during gunshot detection threats.”

For a thorough breakdown of the multi-state rollout and technical milestones, visit the NewMediaWire coverage of Wytec's contract award.

As artificial intelligence drives a surge in data center construction across Texas, a mounting environmental challenge has emerged: water scarcity. Data centers, essential for AI workloads, demand millions of gallons of water daily - primarily for cooling - exacerbating stress on the state's limited resources.

Notably, training the ChatGPT-4 model alone used water equivalent to that consumed by 30,000 households for 100 days, while the average 100MW U.S. data center consumes around 2 million liters daily.

The table below highlights key statistics:

Metric	Value	Source
Water usage for a 100-word AI email	1 bottle	CBS Austin report on AI water usage in Texas
ChatGPT-4 training (total water)	30,000 households' daily use for 100 days	HERE Austin analysis of Texas water crisis and data centers
Global AI data center water demand (2027 est.)	4.2–6.6 billion m³ (≈2.4 million Olympic pools)	Dallas Observer coverage on Texas AI data center resources

Much of this water evaporates and cannot be recovered, prompting concerns about long-term sustainability as Texas's population grows and drought conditions persist.

Experts warn,

“You get rid of the problem of energy but you're going to create a much larger problem in terms of water.”

In response, industry leaders and local governments are exploring solutions such as rainwater harvesting, closed-loop cooling systems, and workload shifting to cooler hours.

As Texas positions itself as a hub for AI and tech innovation, how the state manages its increasingly “thirsty” data infrastructure will be pivotal for its environmental future.

Waste Management (WM) has officially launched its $72 million Mesquite Creek Recycling Facility in New Braunfels, just northeast of San Antonio, marking a major leap for regional sustainability.

With the capacity to process up to 144,000 tons of material annually, this advanced plant introduces state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and optical sorting systems capable of handling a greater variety of plastics and communicating across the line for real-time quality control.

As described by Domenica Farmer, WM Texas Oklahoma area vice president,

"The WM Mesquite Creek Recycling Facility utilizes state-of-the-art equipment that leverages artificial intelligence and optical sorting technologies, which we expect to increase the amount of materials we can process for recycling. Together with our customers and communities, we are helping drive circularity in Texas."

The new facility highlights a broader industry shift - AI-powered sorting, such as TOMRA's deep learning platforms and AMP Robotics' systems, allows for granular material identification, improved recycling rates, and significant cost and labor reductions.

According to industry case studies, AI-driven sorters can achieve speeds at least 60 times that of hand sorting and over 97% accuracy for food-grade packaging separation.

The investment is part of WM's larger $1.4 billion North American expansion through 2026, aimed at delivering an additional 2.8 million tons of processing capacity in response to rising demand for recycled products.

For more on the facility's capabilities and industry context, read how WM's New Braunfels facility is setting new standards with AI and optical sorters, explore why deep learning is the next frontier for plastics recycling, and dig into the top AI waste management technologies reshaping the industry.

Emily Royall, San Antonio's Senior IT Manager for Emerging Technology, has catapulted the city's smart city ambitions to national prominence by championing data-driven, people-centered innovation.

Recently honored as one of Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers of 2025, Royall leads initiatives like the SmartSA Sandbox, facilitating community-focused technology pilots, and actively shapes responsible AI governance as part of the international GovAI Coalition.

Under Royall's leadership, programs such as the Smarter Together Testbed have launched multiple prototype projects - ranging from AI-powered chatbots and mobile apps to LiDAR-based traffic analytics - ensuring rigorous community engagement and pre-investment testing.

As a global thought leader, Royall's work with the UN-Habitat People-Centered Smart Cities framework places equity, digital inclusion, and public accountability at the core of urban innovation.

“What my team has been building at the city of San Antonio is an operational process that gives the city a chance to ‘look under the hood' of new technologies and evaluate them before we make big commitments,” Royall noted. “City governments can't guarantee accountability for the deployment of technologies we don't understand. We simply need to set the bar higher in the public sector, where we are building systems that have material effects on people's lives.”

Her achievements reflect San Antonio's broader vision - empowering local government to foster technological transformation responsibly, inclusively, and transparently for every resident.

UT Health San Antonio is pioneering a novel approach to reducing falls in dementia patients through an AI-powered Tai Chi app that personalizes exercise routines for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Spearheaded by Dr. Wei Liu, the project utilizes artificial intelligence to tailor Tai Chi exercises based on each patient's health history, disease progression, and physical abilities, aiming to improve dynamic balance and motor learning - essential skills for fall prevention.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with dementia are up to three times more likely to experience a fall, causing an annual healthcare cost of $2.4 billion in Texas alone.

The research team employs advanced motion-tracking and biomechanical modeling to validate the effectiveness of the curated Tai Chi routines. As Dr. Liu notes,

“We're shaping up the strategy to be more efficient and easier to learn. Not every form has a benefit for every individual so we can pick what is best for each individual.”

This data-driven intervention is funded by the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center and represents a significant leap forward in non-pharmacological treatments.

For more details, read about the AI-powered Tai Chi app study at UT Health San Antonio, review the research methods in the UT Health blend of Tai Chi and modern technology, and see regional coverage at Community Impact on UT Health's AI initiative.

Statistic	Value
Increased Fall Risk (dementia vs. non-dementia)	Up to 3x higher
Annual Cost to Texas Healthcare	$2.4 billion
Optimal Tai Chi Duration for Benefits	8 minutes/day

San Antonio medical schools are at the forefront of training future physicians to lead in the era of artificial intelligence, with the launch of the nation's first integrated dual degree program in medicine and AI. The collaborative five-year MD/MSAI program, offered by UT Health San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio, enables students to earn both a Doctor of Medicine and a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, immersing them in advanced AI techniques, from machine learning to clinical data analytics, and preparing them to apply these skills to real-world patient care and research.

Program highlights include a leave of absence for two semesters of specialized AI coursework, elective options in both generative AI and AI ethics, mentorship, and a capstone research project.

Enrollment is growing, with 1-3 dual degree students already graduated and projections of 10-15 annual participants in the near future. The impact of this trailblazing training is reflected in student experiences and outcomes:

“My Master's in Artificial Intelligence has equipped me with the skills to integrate AI into healthcare, improving diagnostic accuracy and promoting equitable patient care,”

shares Niklesh Akula (Class of 2025).

The curriculum emphasizes ethical adoption, algorithm transparency, and the importance of physician leadership, ensuring that AI serves as 'augmented intelligence' - enhancing rather than replacing clinical judgment.

For further insights and quotes from program leaders and students, explore the Sombrilla Magazine's in-depth feature on AI and medical education, review official details and testimonials at the UT Health San Antonio MD-MSAI dual degree program page, or learn about the national impact and collaborative ambitions in AAMC's report on artificial intelligence integration in medical education.

San Antonio parents now have a powerful ally in keeping their children safe: Crime Stoppers' newly launched Safe Text, an AI-powered tool accessible with a simple text to 901-4SAFETY. Supported by Phillips 66, Safe Text instantly provides reliable, easy-to-understand information on critical topics such as mental health, cyber safety, bullying, and substance use, all curated and approved by law enforcement and child experts.

Adults can begin by texting “Hi” or “Hola” for Spanish, then search topics like “cyber safety for parents” to receive actionable guidance without needing to scour multiple websites; cyber safety, specifically, is already the most requested topic among users.

As Whitney Lawson, a local parent, shared,

“You can type, ‘I'm a parent looking for mental health help' and then instantly get information about how to talk to your child, connect with teachers, and block inappropriate content.”

The tool currently serves adults while a youth-friendly version is in development, aiming to provide age-appropriate resources in seconds.

For more on how this initiative works and the breadth of parent-focused safety topics it covers, visit the comprehensive announcement about the Safe Text launch and features by KSAT, explore the official SafeText resource page at Crime Stoppers, or review broader Crime Stoppers tech news and parent resources on KSAT.

A groundbreaking study by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma and Virginia Tech, has put the spotlight on a new cybersecurity threat - ‘slopsquatting' - that exploits AI-generated code in software supply chains.

Their research revealed that large language models (LLMs), such as OpenAI's GPT and other open-source models, can “hallucinate” non-existent software package names, which malicious actors then register to inject malware.

Evaluating over 2.2 million LLM-generated code samples, researchers discovered that open-source models have a package hallucination rate of 21.7%, significantly higher than GPT models' 5.2%, with Python code less vulnerable than JavaScript.

The implications are far-reaching, as Joe Spracklen of UTSA notes:

“It doesn't take a convoluted set of circumstances…It's just typing in one command that most people who work in those programming languages type every day. That's all it takes. It's very direct and very simple.”

This method of attack poses real risks amid rising enterprise adoption of AI coding tools, with a recent GitHub study finding 97% of developers have already tried AI-assisted coding.

Experts, including Black Duck's Raj Kesarapalli, emphasize rigorous validation and verification when incorporating generative AI in code pipelines. A detailed account of the slopsquatting threat and mitigation strategies is available in the DevOps.com report on AI-generated code supply chain risks and is further elaborated in UTSA's official release on their investigation into AI threats in software development.

For an overview of UTSA's broader trustworthy AI initiatives, visit their AI Trustworthiness research page.

San Antonio is riding a transformative wave in 2025 as Texas' technology sector surges, but this momentum comes with both remarkable opportunities and pressing challenges.

Statewide, venture investment soared to nearly $2.9 billion in the first quarter, largely driven by sectors such as cybersecurity, defense tech, robotics, and innovative biotech, with landmark rounds like Saronic's $600 million and NinjaOne's $500 million underlining the state's ambitious reach in autonomous vehicles and endpoint management Texas startups attract record $2.9 billion in funding Q1 2025.

This growth is mirrored in San Antonio's startup community, where AI companies and visionary founders fuel job creation and represent a cross-section of sectors including healthcare and automation.

Yet, this rapid advancement is now at the center of policy debates as Texas lawmakers debate a bill to regulate AI's use in government and industry, a legislative effort with critics on all sides - some worry it doesn't sufficiently protect citizens, while others fear excessive regulation could chill innovation:

“Some critics say the bill doesn't go far enough to protect citizens while industry worries about stifling innovation.”

(Texas bill seeks to regulate AI's use in the state).

As AI-focused startups continue to secure sizable rounds globally - like Safe Superintelligence with a $2 billion raise - San Antonio's founders must remain vigilant, keeping pace with national and global trends while preparing to adapt as regulations and competitive dynamics evolve Largest global AI startup funding rounds in April 2025.

For locals looking to skill up and compete in this high-growth environment, training programs like Nucamp's Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur bootcamp and specialized scholarships can offer the technical foundation and practical know-how needed to thrive.