The U.S. Roundtable Elevates American Mayoral Leadership on the Global Stage at Smart City Expo World Congress 2026

American mayors advance global collaboration on AI, public safety, housing and infrastructure as ElevateGov AI builds momentum toward 2027.

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The U.S. Roundtable concluded a landmark week at Smart City Expo World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, elevating American municipal leadership and strengthening relationships with international city leaders and global technology companies.

Held November 3–5, the Congress welcomed 29,721 attendees from 140 countries, including representatives of more than 1,000 cities.

Through a delegation of seven U.S. mayors, California's Secretary of Transportation and senior municipal executives, The U.S. Roundtable advanced American perspectives on artificial intelligence, public safety, housing, connected infrastructure, mobility and economic growth.

A major highlight was ElevateGov AI, the organization's national initiative engaging approximately 25 American mayors in collaboration with technology leaders, including NVIDIA, HPE and Microsoft, to advance responsible municipal AI adoption.

"Barcelona demonstrated the extraordinary value of bringing American mayors together on a global stage," said George Burciaga, Managing Partner of The U.S. Roundtable. "We elevated their leadership in critical global conversations, showcased the progress of ElevateGov AI with approximately 25 U.S. mayors, and strengthened relationships with international city and technology leaders. These are meaningful accomplishments that reflect our growing reach and influence. And this is just the beginning."

American Mayors Shape the Global Conversation

A centerpiece was The U.S. Roundtable's executive mayoral panel, "Leading the AI City: Mayors Shaping the Future of Responsible Urban Intelligence."

Moderated by Burciaga, the panel featured 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.

Participants included two U.S. Conference of Mayors leaders: Barnett, a former President, and Rickenmann, its current Second Vice President.

The discussion explored responsible AI, government modernization, public safety, housing and technologies that deliver meaningful benefits to residents.

Additional sessions featured Mayor Castor on the Congress Main Stage discussing practical AI adoption, while Mayor Williams and Burciaga joined NVIDIA and Microsoft representatives to examine the technical foundations of responsible, city-controlled artificial intelligence.

Advancing Public Safety, Housing and Infrastructure

The delegation contributed to discussions addressing critical challenges facing American communities.

Mayors Williams and Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon, New York, joined Burciaga for "Rethinking Urban Safety: From Prevention to Community Wellbeing," examining prevention, community engagement and public trust. Patterson-Howard also participated in Microsoft's "Trust by Design: Women Leading AI Deployment in Government" panel.

Housing discussions featured Mayor Rickenmann's approach to unlocking underutilized land for development and Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta on the Congress Main Stage, examining affordable housing, public safety, neighborhood reinvestment and inclusive economic growth.

California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin contributed perspectives on urban mobility, while Los Angeles and Atlanta executives addressed connected streetlighting, digital networks, sensors and resilient infrastructure.

Mayor Barnett also participated in an international discussion exploring culture, public spaces and economic vitality.

"As cities across the United States continue to address critical challenges in public safety, transportation and infrastructure, opportunities like Smart City Expo World Congress become increasingly valuable," said Mayor Jim Ross of Arlington, Texas. "The Congress brings city leaders together to learn from one another, explore emerging solutions and share ideas that can strengthen our communities. That level of collaboration helps us think bigger about what's possible for the residents we serve."

Strengthening International Relationships

Beyond conference programming, The U.S. Roundtable connected American mayors with international municipal leaders and technology executives to exchange ideas and identify opportunities for continued collaboration.

A notable engagement included discussions with Ms. Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Mayor of Singapore's South West District.

The exchange focused on municipal innovation, emerging technologies and opportunities for international city-to-city collaboration.

"Returning to Smart City Expo World Congress for a second year has been an incredible opportunity to connect with mayors and city leaders from around the world," said Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Florida. "It's an honor to meet leaders from places like Singapore and exchange ideas about emerging technologies, housing and the future of our cities. What makes these conversations so valuable is the opportunity to learn from one another and identify new ways to improve public safety, strengthen services and create better opportunities for our residents."

ElevateGov AI: Building on National Collaboration

Barcelona also provided an international platform to showcase the progress of ElevateGov AI, which brought together approximately 25 American mayors and leading technology organizations, including NVIDIA, Dell Technology and Microsoft.

The initiative established a national forum for municipal leaders to exchange experiences and examine practical approaches to responsible AI adoption, focusing on governance, data stewardship, workforce readiness, infrastructure, public safety, city operations and resident services.

The U.S. Roundtable highlighted this collaborative progress as an important step toward helping cities move from exploring emerging technologies to practical, responsible implementation.

Looking toward 2027, the organization plans to expand mayoral collaboration, strengthen global technology partnerships and create new opportunities for municipal innovation.

The 2026 ElevateGov AI series concludes November 19 with a Year-End Leadership Finale featuring Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. A new series featuring a new group of American mayors is scheduled to launch in February 2027.

The Congress reinforced the importance of American mayors in shaping the global future of cities and The U.S. Roundtable's role in connecting their leadership with international innovation and collaboration.

About The U.S. Roundtable

The U.S. Roundtable is a national platform connecting American mayors and municipal leaders with technology innovators, industry executives and international partners to advance practical solutions for the future of cities.

Through executive convenings, strategic collaboration and initiatives such as ElevateGov AI, the organization advances municipal leadership, responsible technology adoption, public safety, infrastructure modernization, housing and economic opportunity.

Kelly Montoya
The U.S. Mayoral Roundtable
kelly@theusroundtable.com
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