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Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell speaks at a WTIA event in Seattle on Tuesday. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop)
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, a member of a key U.S. panel overseeing AI safety and security, is taking a diplomatic approach as the country prepares for a big shift in federal leadership.
Speaking at a 40th anniversary event hosted by the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) on Tuesday in Seattle, Harrell said “I’m not going to D.C. with my fist balled.”
“That’s just not how I lead,” he said. “I look for opportunities … no matter who’s in the White House.”
Harrell earlier this year joined a high-profile Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board organized by the Department of Homeland Security. He’s the only U.S. mayor involved on the board, which includes CEOs from Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Alphabet.
Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. secretary of homeland security, will depart as President-elect Donald Trump takes over in January. Trump has nominated South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Mayorkas’ replacement.
Mayorkas said last week that he hopes the new administration maintains the AI safety board, which advises the federal government on how to deploy AI safely within U.S. critical infrastructure.
Analysts expect the Trump administration to relax some regulation of AI companies and AI-related antitrust enforcement.
(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
Harrell said he’s looking at ways AI can help his city, from protecting infrastructure to more simple tasks like filling out police reports. He pointed to existing AI-related projects, such as Google’s traffic light project.
“You all know AI is a game-changer, right?” the mayor said Tuesday.
Harrell is also involved in helping the city launch a new downtown hub focused on AI startups.
In recent conversations with mayors from other cities, Harrell said he asks his peers about Seattle’s brand.
“They think of technology, innovation. They think of us as being forward-thinking,” Harrell said.
The tech industry has helped fuel population growth in Seattle as companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, along with a flurry of startups and other large corporations, attract talent into the city.
But Harrell, who took office in 2022 after a long stint with the City Council, said Seattle can’t rest on its laurels.
“Given where we are now, particularly in the federal election and the swing there, and what’s happening politically in major cities … you see a competition for talent,” he said. “I think people in many cities are trying to be a little more centrist in their approach, recognizing that we cannot take organic growth for granted.”
Related: WTIA honors 40 years of boosting Washington’s tech sector as new CEO aims for more impact
