Seattle has appointed Lisa Qian as its inaugural AI Officer, a role aimed at leveraging artificial intelligence to benefit the community while adhering to ethical technology standards. This announcement was made by the Seattle Information Technology Department, emphasizing the importance of responsible AI development.
The city is actively positioning itself as a leader in the AI sector, supported by major players such as Amazon and Microsoft, alongside various startups and the University of Washington. In a related initiative, Seattle introduced “AI House” in March, aiming to unite entrepreneurs, investors, and community members to foster innovation in artificial intelligence.
Prior to her new position, Qian worked at LinkedIn as a senior data science manager, with previous leadership roles at Convoy and Airbnb. She expressed enthusiasm for using her expertise to enhance the local community through responsible AI initiatives.
In another development, Rakshay Jain has been appointed as Chief Product Officer at Seattle-based DexCare, a startup that aids healthcare providers in managing appointments and system capacity. The company, which spun out from Providence's digital innovation group in 2021, focuses on integrating existing systems rather than replacing them.