U.S. mayors push AI and city policy at Barcelona summit

The U.S. Roundtable used Smart City Expo World Congress 2026 in Barcelona to showcase American mayors on AI, public safety, housing and infrastructure while expanding ties with global city and tech leaders. The group also highlighted momentum for ElevateGov AI, its national effort to guide responsible municipal AI adoption ahead of a new 2027 series.

Why it matters: - The U.S. Roundtable is using a major global city conference to position American mayors as leaders in shaping how cities adopt AI, modernize services and tackle core urban problems. - The Barcelona trip also helped the group deepen relationships with international municipal leaders and major technology companies. - ElevateGov AI is becoming a national forum for mayors to compare notes on responsible AI adoption before a new 2027 phase begins.

What happened: - The U.S. Roundtable participated in Smart City Expo World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, held Nov. 3-5. - The event drew 29,721 attendees from 140 countries and representatives of more than 1,000 cities. - The delegation included seven U.S. mayors, California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin and senior municipal executives. - The group advanced U.S. perspectives on artificial intelligence, public safety, housing, connected infrastructure, mobility and economic growth. - The Roundtable highlighted ElevateGov AI, which engages approximately 25 American mayors with technology leaders including NVIDIA, HPE and Microsoft.

The details: - The Roundtable’s mayoral panel, “Leading the AI City: Mayors Shaping the Future of Responsible Urban Intelligence,” centered on responsible AI and government modernization. - Mayor Jim Ross of Arlington, Texas; Mayor Bryan K. Barnett of Rochester Hills, Michigan; Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Florida; Mayor Daniel J. Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina; and Mayor Leonardo Williams of Durham, North Carolina took part. - Barnett, a former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and Rickenmann, the group’s current second vice president, were both on the panel. - Additional sessions put Castor on the Congress Main Stage on practical AI adoption. - Williams and Burciaga joined NVIDIA and Microsoft representatives to discuss the technical foundations of responsible, city-controlled artificial intelligence. - Williams and Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon, New York joined Burciaga for a session on prevention, community engagement and public trust in urban safety. - Patterson-Howard also joined Microsoft’s panel, “Trust by Design: Women Leading AI Deployment in Government.” - Housing sessions featured Rickenmann’s approach to unlocking underused land for development. - Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta appeared on the Congress Main Stage to discuss affordable housing, public safety, neighborhood reinvestment and inclusive economic growth. - Omishakin discussed urban mobility. - Los Angeles and Atlanta executives addressed connected streetlighting, digital networks, sensors and resilient infrastructure. - Barnett also joined an international discussion on culture, public spaces and economic vitality.

Between the lines: - The Roundtable is packaging AI as a governance issue, not just a technology issue, by linking it to public safety, housing, mobility and resident services. - The event also shows how U.S. mayors are being used as diplomatic and business connectors with global cities and tech firms. - The emphasis on “city-controlled” AI suggests a focus on local oversight and practical implementation rather than vendor-led experimentation. - Burciaga said Barcelona showed the value of bringing American mayors together on a global stage and that the group is only at the beginning of its expansion. - Ross said conferences like Smart City Expo help city leaders share ideas that can strengthen communities. - Castor said conversations with leaders from places like Singapore help cities improve public safety, strengthen services and create better opportunities for residents.

What’s next: - The Roundtable plans to expand mayoral collaboration, strengthen global technology partnerships and create new opportunities for municipal innovation heading into 2027. - The 2026 ElevateGov AI series ends Nov. 19 with a year-end leadership finale featuring Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. - A new ElevateGov AI series with a new group of American mayors is scheduled to launch in February 2027. - The organization plans to keep using international forums to connect American municipal leadership with global innovation.