Seattle appoints first chief AI officer as tech firms announce key AI hires

In a significant breakthrough, Seattle has appointed former LinkedIn and Airbnb data science leader Lisa Qian as the city’s first-ever chief AI officer.

The newly hired AI officer role is designed to help the city responsibly deploy artificial intelligence (AI) across public services while aligning with civic values. 

In a statement shared on LinkedIn, the Seattle Information Technology Department said the position will ensure the city harnesses AI’s transformative potential while maintaining transparency, accountability, and public trust.

“This strategic leadership position is designed to ensure Seattle harnesses the transformative potential of artificial intelligence while upholding the city’s values and commitment to responsible technology use,” the statement reads.

Seattle has increasingly positioned itself as a major AI hub, bolstered by the presence of tech giants Amazon and Microsoft, alongside a thriving startup ecosystem and research contributions from the University of Washington. 

Earlier this year, the city launched “AI House,” a first-of-its-kind space aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, students, and community leaders to accelerate AI development.

Before joining city government, Qian served as a senior manager of data science at LinkedIn. 

Her career also includes leadership roles at logistics firm Convoy and hospitality platform Airbnb, where she worked on large-scale data and AI systems.

“As a proud Seattle resident, I’m excited to apply my experience building responsible data science and AI systems toward work that directly benefits our community,” Qian posted on LinkedIn.