United States Mayors Lead Global Conversation on Responsible City Innovation at Smart City Expo World Congress

U.S. Roundtable Delegation Demonstrates National Leadership in AI Governance, Public Trust, and Human-Centered Innovation

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, November 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The U.S. Roundtable returned from the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona after leading a powerful demonstration of American city leadership on the global stage. Through the U.S. Mayoral Roundtable delegation, the team brought together mayors, civic executives, and technology partners to elevate a clear national message. The future of innovation must be rooted in trust, equity, safety, and human-centered AI that improves the lived experience of every resident.

Across the USA Pavilion, main-stage programming, and a dedicated collaboration session with NVIDIA Corporation and Dell Technologies Inc., the U.S. Roundtable reinforced a national priority. Technology must strengthen public institutions, advance reliable services, and support the people who depend on them every day.

A Delegation Reflecting the Realities of America’s Cities
This year’s delegation included a diverse group of leaders, including Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Mayor Bryan Barnett of Rochester Hills, Mayor Steven L. Reed of Montgomery, Denver CIO Suma Nallapati, Los Angeles CIO Miguel Sangalang, and John Roberson of the Obama Presidential Center. Each brought perspective shaped by their city’s challenges and opportunities, yet all aligned on a single mission. Innovation must serve every neighborhood, not just the technology sector.

Their presence underscored what global audiences increasingly recognize. Cities remain the most trusted institutions, and mayors are essential to guiding the impact of emerging technology.

USA Pavilion: City Impact, Governance and Public Trust
Inside the USA Pavilion, U.S. mayors and civic leaders engaged directly with global innovators advancing mobility systems, public safety intelligence, AI-driven infrastructure, sensor networks, and connected data platforms. Even with cutting-edge solutions on display, every discussion remained grounded in city priorities. Leaders were clear that innovation only matters when it strengthens public trust and delivers results for residents.

NVIDIA and Dell Technologies: Advancing a National AI Framework
One of the week’s most notable sessions took place at the NVIDIA and Dell Technologies Pavilion titled “Building Future Cities with AI.” In this forum, U.S. mayors joined national industry leaders to outline how AI must be integrated responsibly into city systems.

During this session, Jumbi Edulbehram, PhD of NVIDIA and George Burciaga of the U.S. Roundtable announced ElevateGov AI, a national initiative launching in January 2026. ElevateGov AI will empower U.S. cities with sovereign, transparent, and human-centered AI governance frameworks focused on public trust, city-driven use cases, and security. The announcement signaled a decisive national direction for responsible AI adoption in cities.

U.S. Mayoral Global Roundtable: A Main-Stage Commitment
The U.S. Mayoral Global Roundtable, moderated by George Burciaga, featured Mayor Jane Castor, Mayor Bryan Barnett, and Mayor Steven Reed. Together, they highlighted the role of U.S. cities as global leaders in responsible innovation. Their themes were direct.

• Transparency must strengthen safety
• Data integrity must elevate service delivery
• Equity must guide every deployment
• Technology must protect the human experience

Their unified message resonated across the congress. Innovation must be guided by public institutions rooted in trust and accountability.

Conversations with U.S. Mayors: Real Perspectives on Governance and Technology
Throughout the week, mayors delivered honest reflections on the responsibilities tied to AI and digital transformation.

• Mayor Steven Reed – Montgomery, Alabama
“Technology must support every neighborhood, not only those with the most visibility or resources,” emphasizing equity as an absolute requirement for AI adoption.

• Mayor Bryan Barnett – Rochester Hills, Michigan
“Infrastructure is the foundation of public trust. When services fail, residents do not call a vendor, they call their mayor,” underscoring reliability as a democratic expectation.

• Mayor Jane Castor – Tampa, Florida
With decades of public safety experience, Mayor Castor focused on acoustics, sensors, and drones as tools that enhance awareness without intrusion. Cities must embrace technology that strengthens safety while preserving community trust.

Why This Moment Matters
Across each session, meeting, and global conversation, one truth emerged. Cities must shape the future of AI, not the other way around. Through the leadership of the U.S. Roundtable:

• Mayors elevated real city challenges requiring responsible AI
• Public institutions aligned around governance and transparency
• Technology partners provided clear pathways for deployment
• National leaders united around shared standards
• ElevateGov AI created a roadmap for sovereign AI adoption

This collective effort demonstrated a new era of American leadership. One defined not by ambition, but by clarity, accountability, and a commitment to public trust.

“Barcelona reminded the world that U.S. cities are leading from the front. Our mayors and city tech leaders showed what responsible innovation truly looks like. It is grounded in service, guided by equity, and focused on earning public trust every step of the way. The work we advanced here is not about technology for its own sake. It is about building safer, stronger, more resilient communities for every family in every city across our country.”
— George Burciaga, Managing Partner, The U.S. Roundtable

Serena Guzman
The U.S. Mayoral Roundtable
+1 312-509-2800
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