Washington CORE recently sat down with Mayor Tim Kelly of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to discuss how this mid-sized city is leading the nation in municipal AI implementation. A Columbia and Emory graduate, Mayor Kelly blends his experience in entrepreneurship, education, and civic leadership to drive Chattanooga’s digital transformation under his “One Chattanooga” vision.

Kelly emphasized the city’s pioneering role—from gig-speed broadband to AI-powered traffic systems, smart policing, and equitable tech access. He described AI as “a prosthetic limb” that expands human capability, not replaces it. Kelly also highlighted Chattanooga’s leadership in responsible AI governance and his personal role in national networks such as Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayor’s Network and the National League of Cities.

Washington CORE’s conversation with Mayor Kelly sheds light on how AI can empower smaller cities to punch above their weight in the digital era. The full conversation is available by paid subscription through Nikkei Governance. You can read more about it here in Japanese.