Happy unofficial first week of summer!
As we regroup after Memorial Day, Austin tech is having an infrastructure week. AI is moving from hype cycle to hospital org chart, residential batteries are plugging into the local grid, and City Hall is being urged to treat data centers as a public-health and land-use issue.
Plus, 16 labor unions declined to speak to our reporter about using AI, but one organization is leveraging it to help with everything from event management to back-office tasks. And what happens when you’re an AI ethicist accused of using AI for your work?
— Holly Quinn, Technical.ly senior reporter
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7 things to know
🏥 Paging Dr. Algorithm: UT Austin named a leader for Dell Medical School’s new Department of Quantitative and Systems Health Sciences. Hongfang Liu will also serve as Dell’s chief translational AI and informatics officer, a new executive-level position. [UT Austin News]
🔋 Battery backup: Austin’s Base Power — a 2023-founded cleantech startup that makes “whole-home” backup power systems and recently closed a Series C at a $4 billion valuation — scored a validating deal with Austin Energy to deploy 40 MW of its residential battery storage. [Austin Energy]
🧑🏫 Summer school for the stack: Austin Community College opened registration for its virtual Summer Technology Week. What used to be a single-day workshop focused on software has expanded into a full week on tools across software, hardware and AV for teaching and operations. [ACC Infohub]
🌎 Spacetech central: The region is becoming a serious hub for aerospace and defense innovation, argues economic development group Opportunity Austin, citing successes like high-performance comms startup CesiumAstro and high-res satellite maker Umbra, plus the talent pool coming out of UT Austin. [Opportunity Austin]
🏛️ Server farms x public health: Austin’s Technology Commission released a report urging the city to create stricter rules around data centers, citing infrastructure strain, water use, energy demand and land impacts. It also recommends requiring data center developers to fund ongoing public health monitoring. [City of Austin]
🤖 Prompt crowd goes IRL: Capital Factory hosted AI Tinkerers Austin, a builder-focused meetup for people demoing foundation-model and generative-AI work rather than just talking about it. [Capital Factory]
🏗️ On the edge: Austin City Council approved a plan to annex “Dog’s Head,” the 4-square-mile tract east of the city, with a 45-year agreement would allow for mixed-used development with affordable housing. Neighbors say the decision was rushed through without a chance for real public comment. [KUT]
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Technical.ly headlines of the week
Go enjoy the early summer before someone announces another seed round.