The AI Industrial Revolution begins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where human-first Artificial Intelligence is nurtured by world-class research institutions, savvy tech talent, and a supportive public.
In the 1960s, Herbert Simon and Allen Newell of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) recognized the vast potential of groundbreaking machine intelligence technology and invented the field of AI. Since their historic breakthrough, Carnegie Mellon University remains a trailblazer in Pittsburgh’s AI ecosystem alongside other academic and research institutions like the University of Pittsburgh and The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. Prestigious educational institutions, exciting startups and major tech companies attract top tech talent to the Pittsburgh region.
Renowned for its cross-industry collaboration, the Pittsburgh region is a powerful hub of technological innovation. Leading companies from the region’s key industries like life sciences, robotics, financial services and advanced manufacturing partner with artificial intelligence researchers to develop cutting edge technology with the potential to make a massive positive impact on the world.
Geographically, many of the most advanced AI companies in the US and the world are concentrated in the Pittsburgh region. “AI Avenue” spans a one-mile stretch in Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square/East Liberty neighborhood and is home to 21+ leading AI companies. Nvidia, a major global AI chip designer, launched its inaugural AI Tech Community in Pittsburgh in 2024 to highlight the strong collaboration between industry leaders, academic researchers and the public sector.
AI has the entire world talking, and The Pittsburgh region is constantly giving it new talking points.
Undergraduate and Graduate AI Programs (US News & World Report, 2024)
City for Tech Worker Momentum (The Wall Street Journal, 2023)
Academic and Private Research Centers
Computer & Information Science R&D expenditures for the Pittsburgh Region (2023)
Industry employment
Delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly and broadly. Its core AI technology, Aurora Driver, can be integrated into a broad set of vehicle types for autonomous driving.
A unique academic/industry partnership between Carnegie Mellon and Bosch, CBI supports research that helps to accelerate technological development.
Building AI platforms and products to responsibly improve users’ lives by improving knowledge, enhancing productivity, sparking creativity and more.
Providing AI-driven solutions to enhance workforce training and skill development through personalized learning experiences.
Explore how Pittsburgh is shaping the next wave of innovation. Download our latest reports, case studies, and infographics to discover why industry leaders and startups alike are thriving here.
Self-driving vehicle company – formerly Delphi Automotive PLC – with a local team of 200 employees focusing on software and hardware of the company’s autonomous vehicles. Recently announced a $4B partnership with Hyundai Motor Group.
70-person artificial intelligence company raised $93M in Series B funding with plans to expand its team to 200 employees and build an internal sales and marketing team.
Amazon and its cloud platform Amazon Web Services (AWS) are no strangers to enhancing AI applications and algorithms. Amazon opened a tech office in 2017 and plans to expand their workforce to 100 employees, with a focus on Alexa voice technology/speech recognition and machine learning.
Self-driving car startup – founded by Google and Tesla alumni – that has raised more than $530M in funding, partnered with Hyundai and Fiat Chrysler, and recently expanded into Texas to accelerate the development of self-driving trucks.
Two of Carnegie Mellon’s top AI + robotics researchers now lead one of social media’s newest AI labs in Pittsburgh on the university’s campus.
Partnered with Carnegie Mellon University to launch the Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence (BCAI) Research Lab. Plan to build a team of up to 20 AI service experts and invest $8M+ in CMU research through 2023.
Speech-to-text startup raised $8M in Series B funding, moved to an 11,000-square-foot facility in the Strip District and doubled its staff in 2019. Recently acquired for $59M by Medallia.
Implementing a U.S. Army Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force at Carnegie Mellon University; the task force consists of 20 people between Pittsburgh and D.C.
The first teacher-friendly K-12 AI education startup launched in Pittsburgh in 2019. Owned and operated by Andrew Chen and WholeRen, another Pittsburgh-based education company.
Washington state-based industrial company set up an AI and data analytics center, also known as “The Fort” in Pittsburgh after purchasing Industrial Scientific earlier in 2017.
Lawrenceville-based Edge Case Research announces seed round of $7 million in investment funding towards an intelligent safety assessment platform for autonomous vehicle software that operates at the speed of modern machine learning development.
Leader in self-driving industrial vehicles raised $25 million in a round of equity funding. Expanded its teams by nearly 40% in 2020 with plans to continue to grow.
Pittsburgh-based legal service AI startup will double its office space to nearly 3,500 SF by 2022 to accommodate its growing team.
Japan-based automotive components manufacturer announced the opening of its Pittsburgh Innovation Lab, which will focus on autonomous driving research and AI development. The facility will be located in Pittsburgh’s Robotics Row alongside other cutting-edge companies.
Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional aims to commercialize an autonomous platform for use in autonomous vehicle fleet operations and by automotive manufacturers. The company is valued at $4 billion.
Google’s former self-driving car project, Waymo, is expanding its presence in the eastern U.S. They will co-locate in Google’s space in Bakery Square and expect to hire about 20 engineers by year end.
A spinoff of Carnegie Robotics, Thoro.ai aims to commercialize its Autonomous Mobile Robotics technology for the cleaning and disinfection equipment industry. The autonomous robots are deployed at the Pittsburgh International Airport cleaning the floors in an ultra-efficient manner.
Search engine Google announced the expansion of its Pittsburgh offices in Bakery Square, putting its total footprint at 320,000 SF. Pittsburgh is host to 800 Google employees that are developing its AI solutions and advancing research in natural language processing, machine learning, image and video understanding and more.
French tire manufacturer Michelin acquired Pittsburgh-based RoadBotics Inc. to expand its North American presence and strengthen its expertise in AI technology. Michelin DDI will now be able to combine knowledge of tire/vehicle uses, driving behavior analysis and computer vision expertise to support smarter and safer mobility.
Mapless AI is bringing its tech to Pittsburgh International Airport and testing an autonomous car-hailing service through the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s xBridge program, which brings early-stage tech companies to the region to conduct use cases in real time at the airport.
Founders of the former Argo AI are back with Stack AV, a new autonomous trucking business. Backed by SoftBank Group Corp., the company seeks to leverage its self-driving technology to improve efficiency and enhance safety in the trucking industry while also tackling supply chain challenges.
As one of the most active early-stage investors in the U.S., Innovation Works specializes in robust support for startups. Its two nationally ranked accelerators, AlphaLab and AlphaLab Gear, provide the resources and guidance needed to help software and hardware companies successfully launch and grow successfully.
The Pittsburgh Technology Council helps drive the success of the region’s technology-based companies by providing support in business development, talent retention, government relations, and visibility services.
InnovatePGH is a public-private partnership dedicated to advancing Pittsburgh as a global innovation hub while supporting the growth of the Innovation District in the city’s Oakland neighborhood.
The Pittsburgh Robotics Network supports and amplifies the region’s robotics companies, establishing Pittsburgh as a globally recognized leader in the industry.
Google is advancing AI to responsibly enhance knowledge, boost workflows, and improve decision-making in various industries, from healthcare to cybersecurity. Focused on building cutting-edge AI models and platforms, the company develops technologies that not only improve business processes and results but also its users’ lives in meaningful ways. With a strong presence in Pittsburgh, Google continues to drive innovation in artificial intelligence, automation and machine learning.
Duolingo, a globally recognized language-learning app, was founded in Pittsburgh by Carnegie Mellon University professor and reCAPTCHA creator Luis von Ahn. As the city’s first unicorn, it surpassed a $1 billion valuation before going public in July 2021, reaching a market valuation of $6.5 billion. Leveraging generative AI systems, Duolingo offers free access to over 40 languages, helping learners progress from mastering new alphabets to engaging in advanced conversations
Aurora is advancing self-driving technology with a focus on safety, efficiency, and broad accessibility. Its core AI-powered system, the Aurora Driver, is designed for seamless integration across various vehicle types. In 2023, Aurora partnered exclusively with Continental AG to scale the deployment of its autonomous driving technology. Originally founded in San Francisco, the technology company established Pittsburgh as its corporate headquarters in 2021.
If you want to be a part of what’s next in AI, what better place to be than where it all started? Pittsburgh is the birthplace of this world-changing technology, and today, we’re still leading the way and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with groundbreaking AI applications. Watch to learn what makes Pittsburgh uniquely positioned to thrive in the AI landscape and some of the companies who are making it happen.
