Hello everyone! AITX Team here with more updates this week.
If you’re new here, welcome! 👋 At AITX, we aim to:
Connect you with like-minded peers passionate about AI.
Provide a space for sharing ideas and receiving feedback on AI projects you’re building.
Share helpful tools and invaluable resources.
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Before we jump into the regular news, a few housekeeping items:
Upcoming AITX Community Events:
Austin AITX Community Monthly Meetup | sign up here!
Houston AITX Community Monthly Meetup | sign up here!
To stay in the loop on all our monthly meetups and other community organized events, subscribe to our AITX Community calendar here.
Check out our Community Directory:
Where you can fill out your profile and find other members of the AITX community. If you haven’t filled out your profile yet, please follow the link HERE and submit your information.
Base Power x AITX Talent Hackathon
We are running a weekend hackathon at Base Power HQ in Austin, September 25 to 27.
Base Power builds home batteries, installs them, and runs them as one coordinated fleet that helps balance the Texas grid. They manufacture in house and work with both homeowners and utilities.
They are also hiring software engineers, and that is why this event exists. Their engineering team will be in the room all weekend, judging projects and meeting people. If you have been curious about what they are building, this is the way in.
Applications are reviewed and space is limited.
We’d also like to thank the supporting partners: Thrive Capital and a16z.
Holy Hackathons 😱
Yes… we know we just announced one above. But we’re trying kick fall off with a bang
We will have two hackathons this month in Austin and Houston.
Both will be held on September 19th.
We’re only sharing this through the newsletter, so subscribers get first dibs 👇
AITX Community Member Survey
As we head into the summer, we wanted to take the time to ask how we can help y’all better.
Please fill out this survey to tell us how we can better help you (takes less than 2 minutes) 👇
State of AI in Texas Report Survey Live!
Howdy! The State of AI in Texas Report (STAR) has been finalized.
AITX Community and UT School of Law is excited to hear what the community has to say! By mapping the AI landscape and understanding stakeholder interactions, we hope to identify key businesses involved with AI development in Texas.
And by learning about AI product usage and how to support needs of new AI developers, we aim to provide a report that will both inform smart AI policy and serve as a guide for businesses on AI development.
THE WHO – We Want to Hear From You: If you’re based in Texas and work at Startups, Scaleups, or Enterprises, this survey is for you.
This is your chance to have your voice heard.
In this week’s edition you’re getting:
5 Upcoming Events
3 AI Community Stories
So let’s jump in!
Community Events
When: Wednesday, September 16 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM CST
Where: Terrazas Branch, Austin Public Library Austin, TX
What: The Atrium is a new community for professionals who use AI tools and want to actually get better at them. Our first event is a live working session. We'll take a real task, break it down together, and build something functional in the room that you can put to use the next day.
When: Thursday, September 17 | 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM CDT
Where: CGCS, ACC Rio Campus Build #3000, Austin, TX
What: Join MongoDB and ACM Austin for a hands-on workshop where you'll build a functional AI-powered technical documentation assistant using LangGraph and MongoDB-learning core concepts like reasoning, tools, and memory while exploring real-world agent architectures. Enjoy Mexican catering and networking before diving into this practical 2.5-hour session, and earn a shareable AI Agents Skill Badge to showcase your expertise.
When: Thursday, September 24 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Where: 1705 Guadalupe St, Austin, Texas
What: Join us for an evening of AI exploration featuring industry leaders from Vulcan AI and Brokk AI, complete with pizza, drinks, AI trivia, and a collaborative hacking session where you can network and work on projects with fellow enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just curious about AI, this free event welcomes all skill levels to learn, connect, and innovate.
When: Thursday, September 24 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Where: CGCS, ACC Rio Campus Build #3000, Austin, TX
What: Join ACM Austin and MongoDB for a hands-on workshop on building AI agents, where you'll learn core concepts like reasoning, tools, and memory while creating a functional AI-powered technical documentation assistant using LangGraph and MongoDB. Enjoy Mexican catering and networking before diving into this practical, instructor-led session that will equip you with real-world AI development skills and a shareable skill badge.
When: Thursday, September 17 | 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM CDT
Where: Austin, Texas
What: Join Antler Korea and US Teams for an insider conversation on why Korea's industrial economy is becoming a critical hub for funding and scaling physical AI-not just selling into it. Learn directly from Contoro Robotics founder Mok Yun and Antler Korea partner Jiho Kang about what makes an Asia strategy credible, how to move robotics from development to real-world deployment, and where Korean capital's willingness to back capex-heavy ventures positions it against typical US venture models.
COMMUNITY STORIES
Vikas and Anuradha Sinha, Indian-origin engineers who came to the United States for higher education, have made a transformative $20 million donation to the University of North Texas. The gift will establish the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, creating a new academic and research hub for AI, intelligent systems, and data analytics.
Why it matters: This major philanthropic investment demonstrates growing recognition of AI's importance in higher education and will expand opportunities for the next generation of AI professionals and researchers.
Need to know:
The $20 million donation will establish a dedicated college for AI and advanced analytics at the University of North Texas, positioning the institution as a regional leader in AI education
The new college will be structured around two divisions: the Division of Applied Intelligence and Informatics (focused on developing intelligent systems) and the Division of Information and Learning Applications (examining how intelligent systems function)
The Sinhas immigrated from India to pursue higher education in the US, and their donation exemplifies immigrant contributions to American academic institutions and innovation
UT Arlington and Texas Wesleyan University are pioneering new AI degree programs that go far beyond traditional computer science courses. These innovative programs integrate artificial intelligence with business and humanities disciplines, equipping students to use AI tools effectively while developing critical skills to identify biases and ethical implications in AI systems.
Why it matters: As AITX continues to deploy AI-driven security solutions across diverse industries, having a workforce educated in both AI capabilities and ethical considerations will be essential for responsible implementation and customer success.
Need to know:
Both UT Arlington and Texas Wesleyan University have launched dedicated AI degree programs, signaling growing institutional recognition of AI as a fundamental workplace skill
The programs emphasize critical thinking about AI beyond technical skills, teaching students to recognize biases and apply human judgment when working with AI systems
The curriculum combines artificial intelligence with business and humanities, preparing graduates for an AI-driven workplace that requires both technical and ethical competencies
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has deployed an AI-generated attack ad against Democratic challenger James Talarico in their highly competitive Texas Senate race. The synthetic ad targets Talarico's religious statements, creating a performance containing words and actions that never actually occurred together. Despite the AI-driven attacks, polling shows Talarico leading 47.3% to 44.9%, though prediction markets remain divided on whether a Democrat can win in Republican-leaning Texas.
Why it matters: This race exemplifies the growing influence of AI technology in political campaigns and highlights how synthetic media is reshaping electoral communications, a trend relevant to AITX's mission in the AI technology sector.
Need to know:
RealClearPolling average shows Talarico leading Paxton 47.3% to 44.9%, a 2.4-point Democratic advantage
Paxton's AI-generated attack ad creates synthetic performances combining real statements in ways that never actually occurred
Prediction markets remain split on the race outcome despite polling favor for Talarico, reflecting uncertainty about Democratic viability in Texas
That’s all for now, folks!
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