Friday, August 22, 2025

August 22, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Friday, August 22, 2025 

Welcome to another Friday edition of the Tech:NYC Digest, featuring our favorite five highlights in New York tech this week.

  • Programming note: The Digest will be taking a summer vacation next week. We’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

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IBM and the USTA roll out AI fan experiences for U.S. Open (Content+Technology)

  • Starting this weekend: the main draw for the U.S. Open! And coming to the U.S. Open: Artificial intelligence! 

    • IBM (a Tech:NYC member!) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) are serving up a lineup of AI-powered digital experiences, including an interactive AI chat assistant, where fans can ask questions on topics like player stats, head-to-head records, and match insights. 🎾🤖

Waymo to begin testing self-driving cars in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn (ABC New York)

  • Waymo, the autonomous driving tech company, has received a waiver to test up to eight driverless vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn until late September. 🚙

    • Members of the public will not be able to use the cars during the testing phase, and the permit requires a driver behind the wheel at all times.

Sure, these comics can make you laugh. But can they hit a jump shot? (New York Times)

  • Why did the comedian cross the road? To get to the pickup basketball game. 🎙️

    • Comedic stars from the likes of SNL and standup mics across the city come together weekly for an invitation-only pickup basketball game.

    • Past players have included Nate Bargatze, Hasan Minhaj, and, of course, pickup basketball legend Adam Sandler.

    • The prize for the MVP? A broken, 18th-place chess trophy the organizer found in the trash. 

The best things to do in NYC this weekend (TimeOut New York)

  • *Whispers* August is almost over! 🤫 But don’t fret, there are still plenty of ways to make the most of an NYC summer this weekend, from watching tennis matches at the U.S. Open, to watching films at the Rockaway Film Festival, to watching the Pee-wee Herman look-alike contest.   

The New Yorker who interviews doormen on TikTok (New York Times)

  • There’s a whole lot more to being an NYC doorperson than just opening doors. Just ask Sara Leeds. Or better yet, watch her interviews with doorpeople around the city that have gone viral on TikTok.

    • “You’re a weatherman. You’re a traffic agent. You’re a parking attendant. You’re everything,” said one doorman. 

Open some doors this weekend, New York! 🚪

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