This Month's Latest Tech News in St Louis, MO - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

St. Louis is rapidly emerging as a national AI and tech hotspot in 2025, driven by collaborative innovation and robust investment in cutting-edge solutions. This spring, the Urban League, Regional Business Council, and Home Depot launched the “Neighborhood Public Safety Upgrade Initiative,” which will equip 100 residents in high-crime areas each quarter with Ring cameras and motion-sensory lights, empowering neighborhoods and fostering safety through technology.

As James Clark, Urban League vice president of public safety, noted,

“Law enforcement plays an especially important role. Now, we're looking at how do we empower neighborhood residents, and asking, ‘what can we do to pull neighborhood residents in?'”

Alongside enhanced public safety, St. Louis is also hosting a surge of innovation-focused events - from Startup Weekend to the Founders Lounge Global AI Summit - supporting entrepreneurs, creatives, and technologists across AI, digital marketing, and media.

Notably, St. Louis-based Studio Network Solutions debuted their interactive AI Playground at NAB Show 2025, where on-premise AI now streamlines media search, metadata tagging, and workflow automation.

For a full breakdown of program highlights and upcoming accelerator opportunities, explore the Urban League's technology partnership initiatives for public safety, the St. Louis Startup and AI events calendar for the week of April 28, 2025, and SNS's AI Playground's interactive exhibits at NAB Show 2025.

Missouri is rapidly emerging as a crucial hub for artificial intelligence investment, with major tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet channeling billions into AI-powered data centers across the state.

According to recent reports, giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet invested a combined $133 billion in the first nine months of 2024 to build and upgrade AI capacity - a striking 57% increase year-over-year - fueling projects nationwide, including Missouri's fast-growing tech corridor (big tech investment in Gen AI data centers).

However, the surge isn't without challenges; while expectations for further AI data center growth in Missouri remain high, recent economic uncertainties and tariffs have prompted several companies to slow or pause select projects, including a $1 billion Microsoft build in Ohio (Marketplace on AI data center investment trends).

Despite these headwinds, big tech's confidence in Missouri's infrastructure and workforce remains strong, directly impacting both local economies and stock market performance.

Notably, firms supporting AI adoption - such as Nvidia and Microsoft - continue to deliver outsized returns for investors, with Nvidia's data center revenue alone surging 174% over the past three quarters.

The following

Company	2024 YTD AI Investment	YTD Stock Return
Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet	$133B	Amazon: +?, Microsoft: +6% Q1
Nvidia	Data Center Revenue +174%	+49.1% (Palantir), +?

As AI becomes integral across business operations, the region's embrace of tech innovation underscores its emerging role as an AI powerhouse - though experts caution that

“revenue gains from the sale of GenAI add-ons or tokens flow back to their AI model provider partner,”

highlighting complex ROI dynamics (industry profitability insights).

For a detailed breakdown of Missouri's strategic role, see this local perspective on how top companies are banking on the state to power the next era of artificial intelligence (Big Tech companies bank on Missouri to power artificial intelligence).

Downtown St. Louis has taken a leading role in urban safety by deploying advanced AI-powered security robots from Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD), beginning with the high-profile NCAA Frozen Four Championship on April 10-12, 2025.

The Community Improvement District (CID) rolled out ROAMEO Gen 4 mobile robot and RADDOG LE2 alongside existing ROSA devices, delivering real-time situational awareness, autonomous patrols, and active community engagement throughout the downtown area.

According to Kelli McCrary, Executive Director of Downtown St. Louis CID,

“The presence of ROSA, ROAMEO, and RADDOG has not only helped deter unwanted activity, but also brought positive attention and community engagement, especially during the excitement of the Frozen Four Championship. This kind of innovation supports our vision for a safer, more welcoming downtown experience.”

With hundreds of RADCam units now slated for citywide installation, St. Louis is set to expand its coverage with scalable, cost-saving AI solutions that integrate with legacy security systems via software like SARA (Speaking Autonomous Responsive Agent) and ROSS (RAD Operations System Software), enabling analytics-driven automation and a 35%-80% reduction in expenses versus traditional security models.

The RAD platform has already attracted interest from major property management firms and organizations, illustrating a regional trend toward using technology to build safer, smarter cities.

For more on how RAD's robotic security suite is redefining public safety in St. Louis and other cities, visit the official AITX press announcement on urban safety deployments, explore device features on RAD Security's ROAMEO Gen 4 deployment in St. Louis, or read about the event's impact and citywide plans at MarketScreener's coverage of RAD's St. Louis expansion.

Schnucks is accelerating the modernization of grocery shopping in St. Louis by expanding the rollout of its Instacart-powered AI “Caper Carts” across more Missouri stores and, for the first time, into Illinois.

These smart carts leverage artificial intelligence, computer vision, and built-in scales to recognize items instantly, offer personalized discounts, and enable seamless scan-and-go shopping - eliminating checkout lines entirely.

A new lower tray feature, designed for heavy items like water or pet food, enhances both convenience and accessibility. According to Schnucks and Instacart, early adoption of Caper Carts resulted in a double-digit increase in basket size, high usage rates throughout the day, and annual shopper savings exceeding $200.

As Chace MacMullan, Senior Director of Digital Experience at Schnucks, observes,

“It's clear to us that customers love shopping with Caper Carts – and at our newly launched stores, we're seeing many times throughout the day where all ten carts are in use. Caper Carts are intuitive and make shopping fun and engaging.”

This innovation is part of a broader shift in consumer habits, with sixty percent of U.S. shoppers now preferring self-service and smart cart solutions.

For more on Schnucks' digital transformation and partnership with Instacart, read Supermarket News' coverage of Schnucks' latest tech rollout, Chain Store Age's update on Caper Cart expansion, and Retail Tech Innovation Hub's analysis of the operational impact.

Feature	Benefit
AI-powered recognition & scanless shopping	Faster, line-free checkout
Lower tray for heavy items	Easy shopping for bulky goods
Personalized discounts & rewards	Increased savings and engagement
Double-digit basket size growth	Higher shopper spend per trip

Energizer Park, home to St. Louis CITY SC, has earned LEED Gold certification, marking a first for St. Louis sporting venues and establishing itself as a leader in sustainable innovation among MLS stadiums.

The stadium's commitment to sustainability is highlighted by its suite of AI-driven initiatives, including the introduction of Oscar Sort stations from Intuitive AI, which use artificial intelligence to gamify and streamline waste sorting processes for fans, aiming to further improve the impressive 90.3% waste diversion rate achieved in 2024.

All stadium operations now utilize renewable energy credits, serve beverages exclusively in recyclable aluminum containers via partnerships with PepsiCo and Anheuser-Busch, and eliminate single-use plastics.

The venue's broader sustainability portfolio features 100% compostable foodware from local partners, extensive public transit and bike access, and robust food-donation partnerships.

As CITY SC President Diego Gigliani noted,

“Sustainability is about more than doing what is good for our environment – it's about doing what is resourceful, efficient, and innovative for the future of our community.”

Fans celebrated these achievements at the Earth Day “Sustainability Match” and were able to purchase the adidas One Planet Pre-Match Top, made from recycled plastics.

For a complete breakdown of LEED rating categories and Energizer Park's sustainability metrics, see the table below.

LEED Rating Categories	Weight
Climate Change Impact	35%
Human Health	20%
Water Resources	15%
Green Economy	10%
Regional Priority	10%
Local Community	5%
Natural Resources	5%

Learn more about the stadium's sustainability initiatives from the official CITY SC LEED Gold announcement, see AI-powered fan engagement in depth at Sports Business Journal's coverage of AI-driven sustainability innovations, and discover community reactions in local media reports on Energizer Park's LEED Gold certification.

St. Louis' agricultural technology sector is facing significant upheaval as Benson Hill, once a high-profile agtech unicorn, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025, reflecting the pressures of rapid AI-driven transformation.

Despite securing access to up to $11 million in debtor-in-possession financing to maintain operations and support employees during restructuring, the company's value has plummeted from a $1.35 billion peak at its 2021 IPO to just $2.1 million before its March delisting.

Year	Market Value	Employees
2021 (IPO)	$1.35 billion	Unknown
2022	-	-
March 2025	$2.1 million	<71

As Benson Hill pivots from consumer foods to animal feed and pursues asset sales, its AI-powered CropOS® platform and speed breeding approaches remain sought after by both creditors and potential new owners.

The company has committed to supporting farmers and operational partners during this transition:

“These approvals give us the opportunity to maintain momentum while we take the necessary steps to restructure our financial foundation,”

said interim CEO Dan Cosgrove.

Meanwhile, the broader industry watches closely as state indemnity funds and legislative reforms in Iowa are triggered to protect farmers affected by unpaid grain deliveries.

For deeper analysis on Benson Hill's bankruptcy process and what it means for the future of agtech innovation in St. Louis, read the in-depth coverage at BizJournals' investigation of Benson Hill's bankruptcy and valuation collapse, explore the official bankruptcy proceedings at Benson Hill's press release, and review how this impacts area farmers at Missouri Independent's report on implications for Iowa grain producers.

AI is rapidly transforming the multifamily housing sector in St. Louis and beyond, driving greater efficiency in leasing and offering new tools for fraud prevention at a time of heightened risk.

According to recent surveys, digital rental fraud now affects up to 25% of buildings, with 1 in 10 applications containing false documents - a sharp rise attributed to remote renting and more sophisticated digital editing tools.

Leading platforms such as Snappt and Celeri harness machine learning to instantly verify applicant data and flag fraud with up to 99.8% accuracy, creating a safer environment for both property managers and residents.

One sector report found that 93.3% of property professionals experienced rental fraud in the prior year, sparking major investment in AI-driven verification solutions like Esusu's acquisition of Celeri, which enables instant identity checks and fits seamlessly into existing workflows (AI-powered fraud detection for rental applications).

Meanwhile, AI is also automating key leasing steps, such as lead screening and tour scheduling, freeing staff for more personalized resident engagement. Industry data shows measurable benefits, including a drop in lead-to-move-in time by 7 days, a 15% improvement in retention rates, and up to 10 hours of staff time saved weekly (AI's multifaceted impact on leasing and operations).

As leasing agents report,

“It's taken away all of our manual data entry for incoming leads, so every lead that comes in is automatically contacted by AI, prescreened and then entered onto guest cards.”

Proactive fraud prevention is now a top priority across the industry, further encouraged by initiatives like the 100x collaborative, which unites multifamily operators and fintech experts to advance best practices (Multifamily's 100x collaborative against rental fraud).

See the table below for a comparison of recent industry metrics:

Metric	Data / Change
Fraudulent Applications	10% of applications (2025)
Properties Impacted by Fraud	25% of buildings (up from 2%)
AI Accuracy in Fraud Detection	Up to 99.8% (Snappt data)
Lead-to-Move-In Time Reduction	7 days faster
Increase in Retention Rates	15%
Staff Hours Saved per Week	Up to 10 hours

St. Louis small businesses are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence in 2025, with nearly 77% integrating AI tools to drive productivity, effectiveness, and growth, according to the 2025 Small Business AI Report.

Daily AI usage is the norm for the majority of these businesses, especially for marketing, sales, and customer support tasks. A recent survey by The Business Journals highlights that while enthusiasm is high - about 76% have positive feelings - challenges remain, including understanding benefits and resource limitations.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis notes that generative AI's adoption is outpacing previous transformative technologies like personal computers and the internet, with nearly 40% of working-age adults nationally using these tools and labor productivity potentially increasing by up to 0.9%.

The table below summarizes key findings from the surveys:

Metric	2025 Value
Small Businesses with AI Adoption	77%
Reported Productivity Increase	87%
Daily AI Users (Small Businesses)	77%
National Generative AI Adult Use	~40%
Potential U.S. Productivity Growth from AI	0.1%–0.9%

"AI offers significant potential for small businesses with tangible productivity improvements reported. Despite concerns about costs and complexity, small businesses are optimistic about embracing AI." (2025 Small Business AI Report)

For more analysis on how area leaders are faring, read the St. Louis Business Journal's exclusive survey on AI adoption in businesses and the St. Louis Fed's national generative AI adoption study.

Instagram's latest rollout of AI-driven age verification has placed St. Louis in the national spotlight as a focal point for discussions around technology, privacy, and youth protection.

Starting this month, Instagram's parent company Meta is “proactively” using artificial intelligence to detect teen users who may have falsified their ages, ensuring that accounts are automatically converted to more restrictive teen profiles if misrepresentation is found.

The new system analyzes content interactions, profile attributes, and account creation dates to determine the likelihood of a user being underage. Teen accounts come with several safety features - including private-by-default settings, restricted direct messaging, content sensitivity limits, notifications after 60 minutes of use, and a sleep mode that silences notifications from 10 p.m.

to 7 a.m. - empowering both parents and guardians in Missouri with additional tools and guidance to foster online safety. Notably, since September 2024, 25 million U.S. teens have maintained Instagram teen accounts, with 97% of 13–15-year-olds adhering to default safety settings and over 90% of surveyed parents reporting these protections helpful.

As legislative debates over mandatory age checks continue in several states, Meta has voiced support for app store-based verification instead of developer-led solutions.

As one company statement notes,

“Teen Accounts was developed with Illinois parents in mind to address their top concerns.”

For more on these developments and what they mean for families, see comprehensive coverage from the Associated Press report on Instagram's AI age verification, CBS News analysis of AI restrictions for teens, and NBC Chicago's breakdown of new parental notifications.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly intertwined with journalistic practices, media organizations in St. Louis are being called upon to adopt transparent AI policies to maintain public trust.

Audience research indicates that while only 25% of news consumers are confident they've encountered AI in news content, a resounding 98% believe AI policies and clear disclosures are crucial, preferring simple bullet-pointed summaries and on-demand notices at the start of articles.

Ethical frameworks, such as the Eight Pillars of Ethical AI, underscore the industry's responsibility to label and explain AI use, provide human oversight, and address risks like bias and privacy (Ethical AI in Media: A Framework for Building Trust).

Photojournalism faces unique threats from AI-generated images, fueling skepticism and misinformation; thus, initiatives like C2PA content authentication and durable watermarks are gaining momentum - a rising standard that even smaller local outlets are encouraged to adopt for verifiable visual content (Artificial Intelligence's Impact on Photojournalism).

Industry summits and recent research reinforce that

“People want disclosure. Their reflexive default is, ‘Tell me when (AI) is being used,'”

urging newsrooms to actively educate audiences and uphold robust, evolving ethical standards (2025 Poynter-AP AI Summit on Journalism Ethics).

With proposed state and federal AI legislation still fragmented, St. Louis newsrooms are poised to take a leadership role in AI transparency and digital media integrity.

St. Louis is taking significant strides to alleviate traffic signal delays and improve pedestrian safety using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and sensor technology.

University of Missouri researchers are deploying lidar-based systems at eight intersections, aiming to address urgent concerns after a 16% increase in Missouri pedestrian fatalities in 2024.

Lidar sensors generate 3D spatial data that not only detect pedestrian presence in real-time - even in poor lighting conditions - but also dynamically adjust signal timings to accommodate individuals with mobility challenges.

The project, part of the federal Vision Zero initiative, hopes to provide safer crosswalks by extending walk intervals and tailoring signal durations to actual pedestrian flow.

According to a recent report on Missouri pedestrian safety by KBIA, the systems will handle massive data - up to five gigabytes per minute - requiring robust real-time processing to maximize efficiency and coverage.

This effort aligns with the broader global shift toward intelligent traffic infrastructure that utilizes deep learning, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and unified mobility data platforms.

As described in TechBullion's analysis of intelligent traffic systems, such AI-driven solutions have already shown up to a 15% improvement in urban traffic flow in European pilot projects, with notable benefits in travel time, emissions reduction, and safety.

In the words of IT analyst Amir Karimi,

“Artificial intelligence is increasingly revolutionizing the way modern traffic systems are controlled.”

These collaborative advancements showcase St. Louis' innovative approach to safer, smoother commutes.

For more on the local impact, visit the University of Missouri's official coverage on AI-enhanced intersection safety efforts.

St. Louis continues to solidify its role as a visionary hub in America's AI-driven transformation, blending bold citywide deployments with forward-thinking policy and research.

Downtown's roll-out of AI-powered security robots, including the ROAMEO™ and RADDOG™ LE2, reflects a larger push to implement hundreds of RADCam™ units citywide, as urban leaders embrace autonomous solutions that cut costs by up to 80% and offer 24/7 intelligent monitoring according to AITX's RAD deployments report.

At the same time, academic research at the University of Missouri is spotlighting the urgent need for updated legal frameworks, with Professor Renee Henson proposing government-backed insurance schemes to address unique AI liability challenges:

“RAD is executing a nationwide campaign to deliver meaningful, affordable, and effective security solutions to cities, towns, and districts across the country."

as highlighted in Henson's recent publication on government-backed insurance for AI technologies.

While St. Louis agtech faces uncertainty amid funding cuts, local experts see AI as a catalyst for future adaptation and resilience, echoing trends seen nationwide where legislative activity is at an all-time high - over 550 AI-related bills were introduced in 45 states in 2025 targeting consumer protection, transparency, and responsible innovation per the NCSL's 2025 AI legislation summary.

As industry, government, and educators collaborate, St. Louis is well-positioned to shape the responsible use of AI - combining practical deployments, policy leadership, and opportunities for local tech talent to gain skills through programs like Nucamp's coding bootcamps, ensuring the city's central role in America's AI-powered future.