JENSEN HUANG, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF NVIDIA. | PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH ROBOTICS NETWORK

Nvidia, the world’s dominant supplier of artificial intelligence hardware and software, will be establishing joint technology centers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh as a way of supercharging AI technologies among researchers, students and faculty in the Steel City.

It’s part of a new collaboration with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a nonprofit representing 125 advanced technology companies in the region, to spur “the growth and connections between the commercial robotics business community, academia and research institutions,” according to a press release.

The announcement on Tuesday comes just six days before an inaugural and sold-out AI Horizons Summit at Bakery Square in Larimer on Oct. 14, which will draw 450 founders of local AI companies, national industry leaders and policymakers, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. It aims to highlight Pittsburgh’s efforts to build a “human-first” AI economy and to take a key role in the development of this technology. During the event, Nvidia will sign an agreement with the universities establishing its first AI Tech Community in Pittsburgh.

“Expanded collaboration with local institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh will help ensure that groundbreaking research is fast-tracked into real-world applications, from autonomous systems to intelligent machines,” according to a press release announcing the collaboration between Nvidia and the Pittsburgh Robotics Network.

JENSEN HUANG AND JENNIFER APICELLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PITTSBURGH ROBOTICS NETWORK. | PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH ROBOTICS NETWORK

“Pittsburgh is home to a vibrant and growing robotics and AI ecosystem, and with Nvidia’s technical support, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network is in a stronger position than ever to continue accelerating the region’s leadership in commercializing advanced technologies,” said Jennifer Apicella, executive director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, in a statement. “With Nvidia’s collaboration, we are better equipped to support the ecosystem and bring cutting-edge robotics solutions to market faster.”

Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, was founded in 1993, but it’s only in recent years that its graphic processing units that fuel AI technology have catapulted the public company into a $3.3 trillion venture.

“The era of physical AI is here,” said Amit Goel, head of robotics ecosystems at Nvidia, in a statement. “Working with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University will jumpstart meaningful private-public collaborations to further accelerate national generative AI and robotics expertise and innovation.”

Under the collaboration, Nvidia will provide its AI and accelerated computing platforms to support the development of autonomous systems and intelligent machines in the Pittsburgh area. Its tech community in Pittsburgh also will promote public-private partnerships for AI innovation.