Pittsburgh’s deep bench of research institutions and robotics companies is positioning the city as a national leader in geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), according to Steve Wray, the city’s Director of Economic Development, who spoke at the recent GeoAI and Robotics Summit.
Wray, who previously served as executive director of Carnegie Mellon’s Block Center for Technology and Society, moderated a panel at the conference focused on investment trends in geospatial AI.
The Geospatial-Robotics Connection
One of the most notable takeaways from the summit was the growing intersection between geospatial research and robotics. As robots move into what Wray calls “the wilds” of navigating tight spaces, wide-open areas, and indoor and outdoor environments, they increasingly rely on sensing and guidance systems rooted in geospatial technology.
“As robotics become more a part of our daily life, the technology will be more important as we move on,” Wray said.
A Growing Industry
Pittsburgh is home to more than 130 robotics organizations, and Wray says nearly all of them use geospatial technologies in some form. That growth is fueled by the presence of major research universities like Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh, which combine academic research with real-world applications happening in hubs like Robotics Row in Lawrenceville, Oakland, and Hazelwood Green.
“Pittsburgh is a place where we’re not just designing robots, we’re actually putting them to work,” Wray said.
Astrobotic: A Local Success Story
Wray pointed to Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based lunar logistics company, as the clearest example of GeoAI in action locally. Astrobotic delivers payloads to the moon for governments, universities, nonprofits, and private companies. The company, recently acquired by Denver-based Voyager, just secured two new NASA contracts to deliver lunar landers over the next few years, with another launch planned for later this fall.
Originally spun out of Carnegie Mellon, Astrobotic exemplifies how geospatial technology supports space-based missions from launch to eventual lunar surface operations and is helping seed a broader ecosystem of space-tech companies in the region.
Barriers to Adoption
Despite the momentum, Wray acknowledged challenges remain before cities can fully deploy geo-AI. Chief among them: ensuring sufficient data availability and building governance systems that protect privacy while maintaining data quality.
Preparing the Workforce
Pittsburgh received roughly $63 million through a Build Back Better grant to develop workforce training programs connecting community colleges, universities, and companies. These initiatives aim to both upskill existing workers and introduce younger students to robotics through academies and technical training programs, such as welding programs critical to physical AI development.
“Our training in both AI and robotics is setting our citizens up for the future,” Wray said.
Looking Ahead
Wray noted that investors attending the summit are still learning about Pittsburgh’s capabilities in this space, signaling room for growth in attracting venture capital. Still, he expressed confidence in the city’s trajectory, tying the momentum in robotics and geospatial technology to the mayor’s broader agenda of creating family-sustaining jobs and making Pittsburgh a top destination for young people and families building careers.
“There’s nothing that can stop Pittsburgh from being in that leading force,” Wray said.
