Pittsburgh weekly roundup: Axios-OpenAI partnership; Buttigieg visits CMU; AI ‘employees’ in the nonprofit industry

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This week in Pittsburgh, how AI “employees” are changing the nonprofit industry, overcoming common goal-setting mistakes and more.

Read on for Technical.ly’s weekly roundup of top news in the region.

📰 News Incubator: What else to know

• Technical.ly reporter Holly Quinn tested four AI tools for social media, finding that while the tools can generate relevant content quickly, posts often lack human nuance or accuracy, and still require oversight. [Technical.ly] 

• As part of a three-year deal, OpenAI will fund the news organization Axios to expand and open newsrooms in Pittsburgh and three other cities. In exchange, OpenAI’s ChatGPT will use Axios journalism to answer user queries. [Axios]

• US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited Carnegie Mellon University, where students and faculty at the federally-funded transportation center Safety21 showcased the latest research on autonomous vehicle safety. [Carnegie Mellon University News]

• Pennsylvania is currently working on bipartisan paid sick leave legislation that would mandate employers offer the time off, but there is no universal bereavement leave policy. Employers currently decide whether to offer leave, though there may be support to address this gap. [Spotlight PA]

• A $1 million investment from the Biden administration to Carnegie Mellon University will enable Pittsburgh’s POGOH bike-share program to add e-cargo bikes, offering gig delivery workers cleaner transportation options. [Pittsburgh Business Times]

• Trump’s mass deportation pledge could disrupt Pennsylvania’s agriculture economy, as an estimated 30,000 undocumented migrants work in the sector. [PublicSource]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Learn the basics of 3D printing at Prototype PGH’s workshop on Jan. 18 at the North Oakland location. [Register]

• Discover how technology can transform education at the Three Rivers Educational Technology Conference. Featuring talks from industry experts, the conference will be held at Sewickley Academy on Jan. 20. [More info]

• Join the Steel City AI Innovators’ monthly meetup on Jan. 20 at COhatch Shadyside. Connect with fellow AI enthusiasts and professionals dedicated to advancing the future of AI. [Reserve a spot]

• Have a business idea? Pitch it, gain feedback and make connections at What’s Your Business Idea?, hosted by InnovatePGH and The CEO Strategy on Jan. 22 at Avenu: Meyran. [RSVP]

• Pittsburgh C++ is back with its first meetup in over four years. Enjoy a presentation and networking with local technologists on Jan. 22 at the Aurora Showroom. [Details here]

• Partner event: Take a crash course in how to think, work and build like a startup at Techstars Startup Weekend Pittsburgh from Feb. 7-9. You’ll meet fellow builders, mentors, investors and more. [Find out more]