Launch Party: Pittsburgh’s AI Map of Civic Learning Opportunities

Overview

Come celebrate something truly groundbreaking in Pittsburgh: the first-ever teen-centered civic learning map powered by AI - imagined, researched, designed, and built with young people at the helm.

Over the past year, teens from across Pittsburgh have been doing what cities rarely ask of young people but desperately need: mapping the places where youth actually feel like they belong, have agency, and can grow. They interviewed community leaders, partnered with college programs, dug into developmental research, and worked side-by-side with civic organizations to understand where youth really find power, connection, and purpose.

Then they took a big step further.

They brought their findings to a developer, PlayLab, and created an AI-driven civic discovery tool. It is a chatbot based on the mapping data that makes Pittsburgh’s civic ecosystem visible, navigable, and welcoming for teens, educators, and community partners. It’s bold, brilliant, and beautifully youth-authored.

This launch party is a celebration of their ingenuity, their civic leadership, and the new pathways they’ve opened for Pittsburgh.

This is teen-centered civics in action: asking young people “Where in this city do you feel centered, and how do we build from there?”

What to Expect

• Meet the youth creators who researched, prototyped, mapped, and shaped the tool.
• Experience the AI map live with student guides showing you how it works.
• Hear the inside story of how a simple question (“Where do young people feel seen and supported?”) became a citywide civic innovation project.
• Explore the organizations and programs that make up Pittsburgh’s vibrant civic learning ecosystem.
• Add your voice to a community vision of future features and functionality.

There will be youth storytelling, music, hands-on stations, and plenty of moments to connect with the people shaping the future of civic learning in our region.

Why It Matters

Young people shouldn’t have to stumble into opportunity. They should be able to see it, shape it, and share it. This map makes that possible.

The AI Civic Discovery Map is:

• Built with and for teens
• Rooted in youth voice, belonging, and agency
• Designed to surface real opportunities across neighborhoods
• A tool to strengthen connections among youth, schools, and community partners
• A living, evolving civic resource authored by young people themselves 

This launch represents a milestone for the Civic Learning Ecosystem: a commitment to teen-centered civic learning and an invitation for others to join us.

Who Will Be There?

• Teens and young adults (14–22)
• Educators, school leaders, and youth-serving organizations
• Civic partners, museums, libraries, and community mentors
• Anyone passionate about imagination, innovation, and Pittsburgh’s future

If you care about youth thriving, civic renewal, and/or community-powered learning, this party is for you.