Investment will create first-of-its-kind Smart Port Lab and stimulate local economy

PONCE, PUERTO RICO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scale AI, the data infrastructure for AI, announced a partnership with the Ponce Port Authority to transform the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated disaster site into a Smart Port Lab where AI-enabled infrastructure will be researched, built and exported to shipping ports globally. Today, leaders from Scale, the Government of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Federal Government, and Invest Puerto Rico gathered to announce Scale’s Smart Port Lab, which will generate local jobs and introduce Smart Port infrastructure to the world.

Through an investment of $2,000,000, Scale will develop Smart Port infrastructure at the Port of Ponce, bringing AI-enabled document processing, route optimization, object recognition, remote operations, computer vision, and more to the island. These technologies can be utilized across Puerto Rico and exported into new and emerging ports across the globe.

“I welcome Scale AI’s investment in Puerto Rico, which will continue to build on our Island’s competitive business climate and focus on logistics and research and development,” states the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro R. Pierluisi. “As my Administration promotes the strategic potential of the Port of Ponce and its infrastructure renovation, the integration of digital and artificial intelligence solutions will be key for the creation of jobs and economic development in the south of Puerto Rico.”

Scale’s Smart Port Lab is an opportunity to partner with local Ponce officials to increase port activity and aid in the economic revitalization of greater Puerto Rico. The Port of Ponce was recently hit by a series of natural disasters including the 2020 earthquakes, Hurricane Maria, and most recently, Hurricane Fiona. The economic impact of these disasters has been significant. H. Calero, a Puerto Rican Economic Consulting Firm, assesses the impact to the local economy at $139 billion, potentially up to $159 billion.

"I am thrilled to welcome Scale AI to Puerto Rico. This investment of $2 million represents a groundbreaking opportunity to innovate and transform the Port of Ponce from a FEMA disaster site, to a world class Smart Port Lab. I look forward to this successful partnership,” said Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón.

The Smart Port Lab will generate jobs in the Ponce area that will help members of the community advance their careers and earning potential, with plans to expand the facility and increase hiring in the coming year. Scale’s investment will enhance operational processes at the port and modernize shipping and transportation equipment–where innovation has traditionally been stagnant. This includes unifying siloed shipping and port data, developing AI-enabled, remote ship-to-shore operation capabilities, and enabling the digital tracking of assets in and around the port, equipping terminal operators with complete visibility of their shipping logistics and supply chain networks from the comfort of a command center.

"The Smart Port Lab from Scale AI is poised to be a game-changer for economic development in Puerto Rico. This initiative will help Ponce become a critical hub for inbound and outbound logistics by creating a cutting-edge AI-enabled facility, enhancing Puerto Rico’s competitiveness and ability to attract more business and investment to the region. State-of-the-art technologies such as this one will further position the island as a global logistics leader,” said Ella Woger-Nieves, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico.

The Smart Port Lab builds on Scale’s commercial success in the logistics, supply chain and transportation industries. “Scale supports the world’s most ambitious AI projects, and Scale’s Smart Port Lab in Ponce is no exception,” said Michael Kratsios, Managing Director at Scale AI. “We are thrilled to partner with the Ponce Port Authority to build a first-of-its-kind, world class Smart Port Lab.”

About Scale AI

Scale accelerates the development of AI within organizations of any size to deliver critical business insights and operational efficiency. Its data-centric infrastructure platform leverages RLHF (Reinforced Learning with Human Feedback) to help organizations build the strongest AI models, enabling any company to deploy algorithms that supercharge their business. Scale is trusted by the most ambitious AI companies across industries including Meta, Microsoft, U.S. Army, DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit, Open AI, General Motors, Toyota Research Institute, Brex, Instacart and Flexport. Scale was founded in 2016 and is valued at $7.3 billion, backed by Founders Fund, Accel, Index, and Tiger Global.

Anna Franko
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