Tech leaders prepare for upcoming robotics, AI convention in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh continues to lead the way when it comes to robotics and tech development.

More than 10,000 people from around the world are coming to town next week for a Robotics and AI Discovery Day.

We got an advanced look at how Pittsburgh is positioning itself as the robotics capital of the world.

From Astrobotic on the North Side to Aurora Tech’s self-driving freight trucks, a technological makeover is happening, and it’s centered in the Pittsburgh region.

It includes emerging technologies: AI, advanced manufacturing and robotics, often summed up as deep tech or hard tech,

“These are the new building blocks and power tools of modern business and so these are exciting technologies, but they are no longer just in the labs. They have really emerged out of the labs and are now getting into businesses in the world,” said Jennifer Apicella with Pittsburgh Robotics Network.

Pittsburgh Robotics Network is hosting a major international and robotics and innovation conference on November 5th at the David L Lawrence Convention Center.

10,000 people will be there with some of the biggest names like Nvidia, Agility Robotics and Near Earth Autonomy on the center stage.

“This really is a great, unique mix of invention, intellectual property, really brilliant minds and talent and now business and commercial opportunity all coming to a head. Pittsburgh is at the tip of the spear,” Apicella said.

Pittsburgh’s research and development and technological know-how is one reason Western Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to lead the way.

Apicella says moving forward, it will take the university communities the private sector, plus the government all working together.

“We need government and economic investment. We need these companies to stay here. We need to grow more companies here and we need to attract more companies here,” Apicella said.

She added that the deep tech jobs are expected to double or triple over the next five years, so it’s important for workers to be prepared.

“We are going to see a wave in transition where people are going to need to be upskilled, reskilled and people are going to need to think about how they use these types ot technologies differently,” Apicella said.

The conference is free to attend.

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