webAI's edge intelligence layer is intended to pair with Qwake's critical operations platform to help fire departments get ahead of critical incidents before they escalate

AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- webAI today announced a strategic collaboration with Qwake Technologies to explore predictive AI capabilities for emergency response, beginning with fire departments. The effort is expected to pair webAI's edge intelligence infrastructure with Qwake's critical operations platform to help give incident commanders better information at the moment it matters most.

Cities across the country are facing unprecedented budget capacity pressures, and fire services are on the front lines of this crisis. Fire safety is a high-stakes field where every second counts, yet the tools firefighters carry haven't meaningfully changed in decades, making it a critical starting point for innovation.

webAI's work with Qwake is intended to help move AI out of the lab and into the field. By bringing intelligence directly to where data originates, the collaboration aims to create a tangible, easy-to-understand solution for the fireground. Over time, it could help operators, command, and city leaders better manage risk, improve operational effectiveness, and unlock expanded capacity without the need for additional resources.

"AI shouldn't live in a distant cloud. It should be a practical tool that helps people in their own communities," said David Stout, founder and CEO of webAI. "Through our collaboration with Qwake, we see an opportunity to bring edge intelligence to the fireground in a way that could give first responders more real-time, mission-critical technology to stay safe and stay ahead of crisis."

webAI's core approach, bringing intelligence to where data originates rather than moving data to where intelligence lives, aligns directly with what Qwake has built in the field. Where webAI provides the infrastructure to develop, deploy, and continuously improve private AI models at the edge, Qwake currently embeds sensors and AI directly into emergency environments, on people and vehicles, unlocking operational intelligence from the inside out for cities across the country. Together, the two companies are exploring how a predictive, edge intelligence system could support the modern fireground.

"Today, C-THRU puts sensors on the people and vehicles closest to the crisis. That gives us real-time data from inside the most dangerous environments on earth," said Sam Cossman, CEO of Qwake. "webAI's edge intelligence has the potential to accelerate our roadmap from rapid response to prediction, and that could meaningfully expand how cities protect their communities."

The escalation prediction tool is the first step in a broader vision that webAI and Qwake share for what intelligent infrastructure can look like across cities. webAI will discuss its partnership with Qwake and what it means for the future of public safety at a fireside chat at SXSW on March 16, 2026, in Austin, Texas.

About webAI
webAI is the AI platform that brings AI to your data. Built for mission-critical environments, it enables organizations to build and operate private, custom models with complete data sovereignty, real-time performance, and predictable economics.

About Qwake

Qwake is the intelligence layer for mission-critical operations in the physical world. By embedding sensors and AI directly into the people and fleets operating where decisions carry the highest consequence, Qwake gives frontline operators the information they need to respond faster and leaders the visibility they need to manage resources and risk.

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SOURCE webAI