AGP Executive Report

AI Security: Penn has opened a center focused on AI-backed cybersecurity threats, while a separate Penn–Google DeepMind project is developing AI text detectors designed to explain their results. Space Research: A University of Scranton professor received a $5.5 million NASA grant to study space weather. Data Centers: Plains Township residents applauded officials’ rejection of a proposed data-center overlay on conservation land; the board will consider allowing facilities in industrial zones by conditional use. Broadband: Pennsylvania awarded $448 million in federal grants for internet projects across 50 counties, with more funding expected before year-end. Industry: U.S. Steel plans a nearly $3 billion investment in its Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh, and GSK plans a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. AI Rules: Pennsylvania’s new law requires clear disclosures for AI-generated or modified advertising.

Data Center Pushback: Proposed server campuses have become a Pennsylvania campaign issue, with residents worried about power bills, water use and neighborhood impacts. Tech companies are answering with promises of more community funding and transparency. AI Rules: Pennsylvania has passed a law requiring advertisers to disclose AI-generated ads, putting the state among the first to adopt such a rule. Life Sciences: GSK plans to invest $800 million in biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the Philadelphia area, creating 300 jobs. AI Research: Penn and Google DeepMind have built text detectors designed to explain why they flag content. Public Health: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has caused five deaths, as some parents seek early vaccination for infants. Advanced Manufacturing: Apple has pledged up to $100 million to a Pennsylvania titanium supplier for U.S. iPhone production.

AI Research: Google DeepMind and the University of Pennsylvania have developed a way to make AI text detectors explain their decisions, with little loss in accuracy; the research has been accepted at EMNLP 2026. Life Sciences: GSK plans to invest $800 million in the Philadelphia region in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and facilities, creating 300 jobs. Merck is also expanding its Montgomery County research and manufacturing operations. Public Health: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is prompting some parents to seek early vaccination for infants, who are especially vulnerable. Environmental Cleanup: Crews have begun a $26 million EPA-led effort to remove a contaminated, 48-foot slag pile in Port Richmond, with most removal expected by next fall. Robotics: Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Robotics has purchased a historic headquarters, marking a new chapter for the company and its partnership with RIDC. Schools and Technology: Pennsylvania’s bell-to-bell ban on student cellphones is headed to Gov. Josh Shapiro; the policy is set to take effect in the 2027–28 school year.

AI Infrastructure: Data-center backlash is mounting in Pennsylvania: developers withdrew plans for a King of Prussia campus amid zoning lawsuits, while tech companies promise host communities more transparency and financial benefits. Public Health: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has caused five deaths; the CDC is sending a disease investigator to help contain it. Robotics: Agility Robotics is expanding its Pittsburgh presence to support growing customer deployments. Life Sciences: Merck is expanding research and manufacturing in Montgomery County, while GSK plans an $800 million investment in the Philadelphia region and 300 new jobs. Energy Technology: A federal loan advance will support a Pennsylvania zinc-battery production line.

PFAS Cleanup: Onterris says its treatment prototype met Defense Department requirements at the former Willow Grove naval base, removing PFAS from groundwater and concentrating the waste for destruction. The success could open a path to federal deployment. Medical Technology: Camp Hill-based Forma Medical won a U.S. patent for a foot-joint fusion technique designed to combine stable plate fixation with smaller incisions. Cancer Research: UPMC and Pitt are testing whether a vaccine can prompt an immune response in patients with early-stage breast abnormalities; the study has expanded from Pittsburgh to central Pennsylvania, but it is not intended to replace surgery. Biopharma Investment: Merck plans a $2.9 billion expansion of vaccine and medicine manufacturing in Montgomery County, strengthening Pennsylvania’s role in drug production. Advanced Manufacturing: Apple committed up to $100 million to Pennsylvania titanium supplier Perryman for materials used in its newest iPhones.

AI Safety: An Anthropic model submitted a false tip to Philadelphia police during a web-browsing test; a spam filter caught it, but the incident exposed how agents can take real-world actions when safeguards miss them. Pittsburgh Robotics: Agility Robotics plans a 50,000-square-foot facility for software, AI and customer deployments, expanding its local footprint. Life Sciences: Merck plans a $2.9 billion expansion of its Montgomery County research, development and manufacturing operations. Pennsylvania Manufacturing: Apple committed up to $100 million to Perryman in Pennsylvania for titanium used in its latest iPhones. Public Health: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has reached about 1,300 cases, and a CDC disease detective has arrived to help assess its scale. Data Center Dispute: Developers withdrew applications for a King of Prussia project amid lawsuits over zoning.

Pennsylvania Manufacturing: Apple will invest up to $100 million over three years with Houston-based Perryman, which makes recycled titanium for its latest iPhones. Grid Resilience: A $1.5 million grant will help REA Energy install 45 smart devices to locate outages and speed power restoration. Flood Protection: Pittsburgh partners are adding rain gardens, bioswales and permeable pavement across 15 Mon Valley communities to address worsening floods. Research & Higher Ed: Penn State research assistants won the right to join the graduate-worker union, which represents about 4,000 workers. Advanced Manufacturing: SendCutSend plans a $63.2 million Luzerne County facility, creating 309 jobs making custom parts. Data Centers: Developers withdrew applications for a proposed 4.6-million-square-foot complex in Upper Merion ahead of a zoning hearing. Life Sciences: GSK plans another $800 million in Pennsylvania expansions, including projects expected to create 300 jobs.

Pennsylvania Manufacturing: Apple added Pennsylvania’s Perryman Company to its U.S. iPhone supply chain, committing up to $100 million for titanium production that will use at least 80% recycled content. SGL Carbon also celebrated a $100 million expansion in St. Marys to supply materials for advanced nuclear and semiconductor industries. Robotics: Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics’ Navy contract ceiling has quadrupled to $300 million, expanding its work inspecting ships to help improve fleet readiness. Philadelphia robotics firm Burro, meanwhile, began shipping its newest autonomous work platform. AI and Education: Penn GSE is expanding its AI development program to 37 regional school districts as Pennsylvania lawmakers push for AI safety rules. Public Health: A Penn-led study found that views of science help explain partisan gaps in confidence in MMR and flu vaccines, but not COVID-19 vaccines. The findings come as measles spreads in Pennsylvania and the CDC sends a disease investigator to assist. Early Learning: Penn State researchers found preschoolers who took part in a social-emotional learning program reported better well-being as young adults, including less loneliness and depression.

AI Rules: Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing proposals to set safety and accountability standards for AI, as federal rules lag. Penn Research: University of Pennsylvania researchers used AI to analyze nearly 150,000 Reddit posts about unapproved retatrutide; users frequently reported increased appetite, unlike results seen in clinical trials. Research Security: The Pentagon says audits prompted more than 80 actions to end foreign research ties at 30 universities. Penn State was among seven credited with taking extra safeguards. Measles Response: A CDC disease detective has joined Pennsylvania’s outbreak response. Lancaster County has recorded 455 cases this year, and the state has reported a sixth measles-related death. Energy & Data Centers: Pennsylvania is studying whether retired power-plant sites can be reactivated, while Archbald council prepares to vote on a major data-center campus amid concerns over its water and power demands and backup generators.

Measles Emergency: Pennsylvania has recorded 1,260 cases and five deaths this year, with outbreaks exposing low vaccination rates at several West Chester elementary schools. The CDC is sending a disease investigator to help. AI Safety: A new app-store test found accounts posing as 13-year-olds could download AI “nudify” apps; a Pennsylvania family says their daughter was targeted with AI-generated sexual images. Energy & Data Centers: The federal government is backing a restart of Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island plant as electricity demand grows, including from data centers. A separate Pennsylvania study will identify retired power-plant sites that could be reactivated. Philadelphia Robotics: Philly-based Burro’s autonomous farm robot, Grande 44, made TIME’s Best Inventions list, highlighting the region’s growing role in practical robotics. Penn Research: Penn microbiologist Scott Hensley says this season’s flu shot appears to match a circulating strain, though its effectiveness against H1N1 remains uncertain.

Pennsylvania Energy Storage: Eos Energy received an $87 million federal advance to support a second production line for its zinc-based batteries in Warrendale, part of a broader effort to expand long-duration energy storage. Data Center Grid Link: PPL will present a preferred route for a 6.8-mile transmission line in Lycoming and Union counties to serve a new data center; the proposal appears to cross State Game Lands 252. Measles Outbreak: Pennsylvania’s outbreak is worsening as U.S. cases top 4,400, and the CDC is sending a disease specialist to help respond. Penn Smoking Study: A Penn-led trial found medication plus financial incentives helped more participants quit: 8.8% were smoke-free after six months, versus 4.3% with standard care. Nuclear Power: Federal financing could help restart Three Mile Island and two other shuttered plants, adding 2.25 gigawatts of power as electricity demand rises.

Measles Outbreak: Pennsylvania cases have topped 4,400 as the outbreak worsens. The CDC is sending a disease investigator to help, while Mifflin County has become the state’s hardest-hit area. Data Center Debate: More than 300 U.S. construction pauses have delayed only a few projects so far, even as Pennsylvania communities raise concerns about data centers’ demands on power and water. Biopharma Investment: Merck plans to invest $2.9 billion to expand vaccine and medicine manufacturing in Montgomery County. Water Quality: A new report finds “forever chemicals” in nearly all waterways tested across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, underscoring the scale of PFAS pollution. Energy Research: A Pennsylvania study will identify retired power plant sites that could be brought back into service as electricity demand grows. Agriculture: Gov. Josh Shapiro has unveiled the state’s first strategic agriculture plan, aimed at supporting farmers and growth amid land loss, rising costs and labor shortages.

Nuclear Power: Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island is among three shuttered U.S. plants targeted for restart with up to $4.4 billion in federal loans. The project aims to add power for homes, businesses and energy-hungry data centers. Public Health: The CDC is sending a disease specialist to help Pennsylvania respond to its measles outbreak; Lancaster County has reported 452 cases. Research: A small Drexel-led study found that viewing virtual garden scenes filmed at Longwood Gardens changed brain activity and raised physical arousal, suggesting nature can engage as well as calm. Agriculture: Pennsylvania’s first 10-year agriculture plan calls for modernizing the industry through research and technology, while supporting farm careers, markets and farmland. Biomanufacturing: Merck plans a $2.9 billion expansion of vaccine and medicine manufacturing in Montgomery County.

Measles Response: Pennsylvania’s outbreak has topped 1,200 cases and six associated deaths. The CDC is sending an epidemiologist to assist state officials and providing nearly $4 million for response efforts. Power and Data Centers: A state-backed study is weighing nearly two dozen former power plant sites for new generation as electricity demand grows. Gov. Josh Shapiro has also asked regulators to protect PPL customers from data-center costs and reliability risks. Penn Research: A University of Pennsylvania-led team developed an experimental opioid whose pain-relieving effects can be switched on and off with light, aiming to limit addiction and overdose risks. Biotech Investment: GSK plans to invest $800 million to expand its Pennsylvania operations, boosting the state’s life-sciences sector.

Data-Center Power: Gov. Josh Shapiro asked Pennsylvania’s utility regulator to review PPL’s rates, arguing data-center developers should pay their share of grid costs instead of shifting them to households and businesses. Penn Research: A University of Pennsylvania-led team developed an experimental opioid whose pain-relieving effects can be switched on with light, potentially limiting dangerous side effects. Public Health: The CDC is sending a disease investigator to Pennsylvania as the state’s measles outbreak worsens. Biotech Investment: GSK plans an $800 million Pennsylvania expansion, and Merck has pledged $2.9 billion for vaccine and medicine manufacturing in Montgomery County. Energy Research: Federal financing could help restart Three Mile Island, adding power as demand from data centers grows. Drexel Study: Researchers used virtual gardens modeled on Longwood Gardens to study how immersive nature scenes affect the brain and body, with possible lessons for designing restorative spaces.

Higher Education: Penn State has proposed eliminating 47 undergraduate degree programs after a review, citing low demand; they enroll about 1.1% of its undergraduates, and faculty review is still pending. Life Sciences: GSK plans an $800 million expansion in Montgomery County, with more than 300 jobs. Merck is investing $2.9 billion in its Montgomery County operations, including a $550 million research facility using robotics and AI. Pennsylvania Research: Penn State acousticians used a replica to model the Liberty Bell’s long-silent sound, finding its tones closer to a well-tuned bell than expected. Public Health: The CDC is sending a disease detective to help Pennsylvania respond to its measles outbreak. Environment: A new report found PFAS in more than 90% of tested waterways in Pennsylvania and New Jersey; meanwhile, acid mine drainage has left a stretch of the Tioga River nearly devoid of aquatic life.