'This Is the Place': A Recap of AI Horizons and the Future of Technological Innovation in Pittsburgh

What is AI Horizons?

The inaugural AI Horizons Summit, a one-day event held on Monday at Bakery Square, brought together over 400 leaders from business, academia, and government to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across industries.

Notable figures such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) President Farnam Jahanian, and leaders from BNY Mellon, a global financial services company, joined the discussion on how scalable, trustworthy AI platforms can reshape the future. 

The sold-out event, home to conversations on the energy demands of AI computing and the ethical considerations of entrusting computers with sensitive tasks, highlighted how human-first AI can be commercialized to benefit society. Speakers emphasized that although AI is still in its early stages of adoption, it is poised to become as ubiquitous as the internet. 

Carnegie Mellon University, the world's #1 AI school, played a pivotal role in the summit, showcasing innovation and leadership in AI. The event also featured prominent policymakers, including former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, and White House Apprenticeship Board Chair Rob Cherry, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in shaping AI's future.

Why Bakery Square?

Bakery Square is home to AI Avenue, a dynamic one-mile corridor stretching from the intersection of Penn and Fifth Avenue in Larimer to the Duolingo headquarters in East Liberty. Anchored by major players like Google, Duolingo, CMU’s Cloud Lab, and UPMC Enterprises, the hub also hosts over 20 emerging artificial intelligence companies, driving job creation and economic growth in Pittsburgh’s East End. 

The area is rapidly evolving into a technology and innovation powerhouse, positioning Pittsburgh as a leader in the AI revolution. As these companies continue to expand, they are not only transforming industries but also shaping the future of the region. With its blend of cutting-edge research, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit, AI Avenue is paving the way for the future of artificial intelligence, right here in Pittsburgh.

What was once an epicenter of baking technology is now poised to become a beacon of 21st-century innovation. Click here to learn more about AI Avenue.

Schedule Breakdown

Keynote & Fireside Chat with Governor Josh Shapiro: Pittsburgh’s Global Role in Human-First AI Innovation

At this opening event, Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted the progress Pennsylvania has made in embracing generative AI, emphasizing the state's commitment to empowering employees and developing effective AI use cases. Since signing a nation-leading Executive Order on AI a year ago, the Commonwealth has focused on integrating AI tools into everyday workflows. Shapiro noted that, unlike states that approach technology with caution, Pennsylvania is a place where “everyone’s going in the same direction” toward innovation.

As part of a yearlong pilot study involving 150 state employees, participants have saved an average of 105 minutes per day by using AI tools. “That doesn’t mean they’re working 105 minutes less,” Shapiro explained. “It means they have 105 more minutes to tackle more complex challenges.” 

Dr. Andrew Moore, CEO of Lovelace AI and former General Manager and VP for the AI division of Google Cloud, also spoke, underscoring Pittsburgh's unique position to build trust in artificial intelligence, further solidifying the city’s role as a global leader in human-first AI innovation.
 

Following the networking lunch, attendees participated in breakout sessions, each focusing on various aspects of productive AI. Take a closer look at each session and the speakers who led them:

• Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow: Adapting Education for the AI Economy
• AI in Financial Services: Transforming the Sector for a Better World
• AI for National Security: What’s the Urgency?
• Empowering Pittsburgh: AI, Energy, and National Leadership in the Global Economy
• Winning the AI Race: Strategies for Cities to Thrive in the Next Innovation Economy
• AI-Driven Healthcare: Innovations and Ethics Shaping the Future of Wellness
• Small Businesses & Nonprofit Workshop: Harnessing AI for Local Growth and Impact

• Disrupting the Startup: How AI will Democratize Entrepreneurship and Shift the VC Landscape

• AI and National Security: Pittsburgh’s Strategic Role

• Empowering a Sustainable Future: AI’s Role in Aiding the Energy Revolution

 

The summit's closing event, AI Horizons Keynote: AI for a Better World – Navigating Truth in the AI Era, emphasized the critical need for a balance between innovation and responsibility as AI technologies increasingly shape our society. This session delved into both the remarkable advancements in public safety and wellness brought about by AI, as well as the associated risks, including the misuse of deepfakes and influence campaigns. Participants gained valuable insights into actionable strategies designed to ensure that AI serves humanity in a responsible manner. The focus was on current applications that enhance the public good while also addressing the threats posed by AI-driven misinformation, all aimed at safeguarding our digital future.

The day concluded with an Oktoberfest celebration at City Kitchen in Bakery Square. Attendees from across the nation gathered to discuss the topics explored during the summit while enjoying local beers, a variety of Bavarian delicacies, and live music.

What unfolded at the conference?

With so many technology leaders gathered in one room, significant developments were inevitable—and indeed, they occurred.

At the summit, Governor Shapiro helped launch the first-ever NVIDIA AI Tech Community – a new partnership between NVIDIA, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh aimed at enhancing Pittsburgh’s innovation ecosystem in robotics, autonomy, and AI. It will include two joint technology centers with the universities that will aim to accelerate artificial intelligence innovations. The initiative will also engage Pittsburgh-based AI startups through the NVIDIA Inception program, including Lovelace AI located in Bakery Square.

“Building on that collaboration, the NVIDIA AI Tech Community is an example of how Pennsylvania is working to bring industry leaders together to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of artificial intelligence. Pennsylvania is continuing to lead the nation in responsible, ethical uses of generative artificial intelligence," stated Shapiro.

What's Next

With top-notch universities, a plethora of tech companies and support from local and state leaders, Pittsburgh is at the forefront of innovations in artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence can make accurate medical diagnoses and provide real-time language translations, said Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian. It’s helping CMU researchers discover the shape of proteins and invent new proteins, leading to new drug discoveries that could revolutionize health care.

“I can’t wait for the future, and the future, I know, is going to run right through Pittsburgh,” Shapiro, a visibly strong proponent of AI in the public sector.

 

In the News

• One Year After Governor Shapiro Signed Executive Order, Pennsylvania is Leading the Way in Responsible, Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence that Empowers Workers
• AI development is Pittsburgh's next act, Gov. Shapiro says during inaugural summit
• 'This is the place': Tech leaders, Shapiro tout Pittsburgh as AI hub
• Pittsburgh’s AI-Powered Renaissance
• AI chipmaker NVIDIA set to launch its first 'AI Tech Community' in Pittsburgh
• AI Horizons Pittsburgh Summit draws global experts to Bakery Square (Around Town)
• AI Horizons and Beyond: CMU Welcomes Revolution in Human-First AI to Pittsburgh
• Pittsburgh could lead the world’s fourth industrial revolution — if silos don’t hold it back
• Pittsburgh Summit Says Electric Needs for AI Already “Unbelievable”
• 2024 Year In Review: AI Avenue defined, Nvidia establishes first "AI Tech Community" in Pittsburgh