Bloomberg Philanthropies names 23 new mayors to data alliance

Bloomberg Philanthropies on Thursday announced the names of 23 mayors in the United States and from around the globe who’ve joined the group’s City Data Alliance.

The alliance follows in the tradition of Bloomberg’s funding of city government projects that aim to drive greater use of data in municipal governance, also known as “data-driven decision making.”

Alliance members get access to operational and technical coaching on how to use data science and artificial intelligence technologies to improve city services and develop new data-driven policies. According to a news release, mayors will attend a two day summit starting Thursday, in which they can meet with urban policy experts from John Hopkins University and Harvard University.

“Together, they will lay the groundwork to build a data infrastructure that allows their municipalities to lead with evidence to improve people’s lives,” the release reads.

Ten U.S. mayors are among the new participants, including the mayors of San Jose, California; Tampa, Florida; and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Also included are mayors from cities in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru.

The Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance began in 2022, funded by a $60 million investment. Past projects have included a data project in Jackson, Mississippi, that aims to address root causes of crime and homelessness, and a website that helps people find affordable housing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, among many others.

The group, which added 20 new cities last year, now counts mayors in 65 cities among its ranks.

“As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, so too does the opportunity for local governments to put it to work for residents’ benefit,” Amy Holmes, executive director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, said in the announcement.