City of Boulder, CO
01/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/16/2026 10:57
Boulder joins national program to explore how emerging technologies can support fair, transparent, and effective city services
What this means for Boulder
As part of the program, Boulder will host a Fellow who will work directly with city staff. The fellow will help:
- Build staff capacity to understand, evaluate and use emerging tools
- Develop strong policies and procedures to guide responsible and ethical use
- Identify opportunities where AI could improve city services
- Pilot practical, community-focused AI applications
Examples of potential uses include improving access to city information, responding more efficiently to public questions, and streamlining internal processes.
A focus on responsible and equitable use
The initiative emphasizes learning and collaboration. Cities will share lessons with one another and receive technical support from Data-Smart City Solutions, a program based at Harvard University's Bloomberg Center for Cities.
The goal is not to adopt technology for its own sake, but to understand where AI can help cities work more effectively, equitably, and transparently - while protecting privacy and maintaining public trust.
A national cohort of cities
In addition to Boulder, participating cities include:
Charlotte, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Jose, California; St. Paul, Minnesota; Long Beach, California; Lexington, Kentucky; Columbia, South Carolina; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Detroit, Michigan.
Three cities - Boulder, Philadelphia, and San Jose - will host in-house Data Fellows as part of the program.
About the partners
Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation supports a more effective democracy by investing in journalism, arts and culture, and the success of American cities and towns.
Data-Smart City Solutions
Founded in 2012, Data-Smart City Solutions helps local governments use data and technology to solve real-world challenges. The program connects cities with research, tools, and peers to support practical innovation in city halls across the country.
City of Boulder, CO published this content on January 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 16, 2026 at 16:57 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]