seattle ai policy

Seattle AI policy refers to the city's evolving approach to governing artificial intelligence in the public sector, particularly its decision to pause a citywide Microsoft Copilot rollout. The pause reflects a shift from AI-forward ambitions under former Mayor Bruce Harrell to a more deliberate, governance-heavy posture under Mayor Katie Wilson. Key concerns include privacy, security, public trust, records management, labor implications, and accountability. Seattle is not abandoning AI but is prioritizing responsible governance and ensuring that AI adoption clears legal and ethical hurdles before broad deployment. The policy signals how tech-saturated cities are balancing productivity gains with public accountability.