U.S. mayors and tech leaders expand responsible AI collaboration

More than 25 U.S. mayors and municipal technology leaders met with NVIDIA, Microsoft and other partners as The U.S. Roundtable marked six months of its ElevateGov AI program. The effort is expanding ahead of Smart City Expo World Congress in November, with cities sharing AI governance and public safety practices.

Why it matters: - Cities are moving AI from pilot projects into core government operations, especially public safety, crisis response and cross-agency coordination. - The ElevateGov AI program is meant to help local governments adopt AI responsibly while protecting public trust and improving performance. - The initiative is expanding internationally through Smart City Expo World Congress and Tomorrow.City partnerships.

What happened: - U.S. mayors, city technology leaders and representatives from NVIDIA, Microsoft, Dell Technologies and other organizations met recently for a leadership session on public safety, crisis response and safer communities. - The session marked six months of collaboration under The U.S. Roundtable's ElevateGov AI program. - The group discussed how cities are using AI in public safety operations, governance frameworks, cross-agency coordination and at-scale deployment lessons. - Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb discussed the city's RISE initiative and tied it to reductions in violent crime and improved police recruitment and retention. - Donnie Beamer, senior technology advisor to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, described Atlanta's investments in digital infrastructure and workforce development. - Technical leaders from San Juan also joined the session.

The details: - ElevateGov AI has grown to include more than 25 U.S. mayors and technology leaders from at least seven cities. - The program is mayor-led and non-commercial. - Regular sessions focus on topics selected by participating cities. - NVIDIA, Microsoft, Dell Technologies, Juganu, ONETERA and Aero are among the organizations invited to contribute technical perspective. - Alex Pazos of NVIDIA joined the discussion on integrated public safety and crisis response. - Katherine Flesh, director of transportation, cities and infrastructure industry for Americas at Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector, said cities are moving from isolated AI projects to enterprise platforms built on a common foundation for data, security and AI governance. - Jumbi Edulbehram, director of global public sector at NVIDIA, said ElevateGov AI brings city leaders and technology experts together to share real-world priorities and collaborate on practical, responsible AI solutions.

Between the lines: - The collaboration signals a shift from isolated municipal experiments to shared AI standards and operating models. - George Burciaga, managing partner of The U.S. Roundtable, said mayors are using the program to develop practical approaches that strengthen public trust and improve government performance. - The program's international linkups suggest U.S. city AI policy is being shaped alongside a broader global smart-city conversation.

What's next: - ElevateGov AI participants are expected to take part in Smart City Expo World Congress programming this November. - The U.S. Roundtable plans more leadership convenings, executive briefings and international engagement. - The organization will continue building collaboration aimed at measurable public value from responsible AI use.

The bottom line: - U.S. cities are coordinating more closely on AI governance as officials look to scale the technology without losing public accountability. - The next phase centers on shared standards, practical implementation and wider international participation.