In July 2026, Global Ties San Francisco hosted nine Brazilian AI innovators and experts working to advance digital transformation across education, business, policy, and public security, with a focus on ethical innovation, productivity solutions, and advanced technologies for law enforcement and intelligence.
This U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project was administered by American Councils for International Education, with visits coordinated in partnership with World Trade Center Institute (Baltimore, Maryland), Vermont Council on World Affairs (Burlington, Vermont), Global Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota), and Global Ties San Francisco (San Francisco, California).
Throughout their three-week IVLP experience, the visitors explored American AI innovation, governance, and deployment, examining how technologies can strengthen economic competitiveness, growth, and workforce development. Concluding their program in the San Francisco Bay Area, they evaluated the factors that make our region a global center of AI innovation, including its concentration of investment and leading technology companies, entrepreneurial culture, and robust cross-sector collaboration. The visitors also gained insight into practical applications of predictive AI systems and how emerging technologies can address real-world challenges.
Exploring AI Innovation in the Bay Area
Charting the Future of AI Leadership Aboard the Historic Klamath
Aboard the Historic Klamath—a restored ferryboat that once served as a vital part of the local transportation network in the 1930s and now lives on as a symbol of the region’s spirit of innovation—the delegation met with the Bay Area Council and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute on the future of AI leadership and economic growth in the region’s technology sector. Together, the business association and affiliated think tank engage local leaders to strengthen the Bay Area’s position as a global center for technology and innovation.
The conversation explored the innovation ecosystem, the policies and business environment that help American companies develop and commercialize new technologies, and the resulting economic opportunities.
The scale of the region’s AI investment illustrates its role in American technological leadership. According to Bay Area Council Economic Institute analysis, Bay Area companies received 77% of total U.S. AI funding and 60% of global AI funding in 2025. During the meeting, participants examined the ecosystem behind this concentration of investment, including access to capital, entrepreneurial ambition, and a culture that prioritizes risk taking. The discussion demonstrated how regional strengths contribute to U.S. competitiveness in a strategically important sector.
Applying AI to Urban Mobility and Public Safety
For a firsthand look at AI innovation in practice, the delegation met with Hayden AI, a company that partners with cities to develop and implement AI-powered detection and enforcement technologies for public transportation. Its solutions use real-time data to help improve roadway safety and transit efficiency, demonstrating how American companies are applying AI to address urban challenges. The discussion explored predictive AI applications alongside questions of governance, data security, and privacy protection, and the visitors actively considered how these solutions might be adapted to Brazil’s context.
Evaluating AI Adoption and Management in Local Government
During their stay, the visitors also learned about San Francisco’s municipal AI initiatives and the city’s AI toolkit, examining the safeguards governing data use and how individual departments apply different AI tools to streamline operations. The meeting offered insight into how a major U.S. city is approaching the responsible adoption of emerging technologies across local government.
Turning Emerging AI Ideas into Practical Solutions
Complementing the program’s focus on AI innovation and exploration, the delegation visited the Holtzbrinck AI Hub, a hands-on innovation space launched by global media group Holtzbrinck to accelerate applied AI in science, education, and media. The visitors examined how the hub connects Holtzbrinck’s global network of researchers, publishers, and educators with Silicon Valley startups, technologists, and investors to foster collaboration and translate emerging ideas into practical applications.
The delegation also met with the hub’s new resident “AI Explorers,” who shared early-stage projects with potential applications in media and publishing. Through the residency, internal talent and builders from affiliated companies bring an idea, develop it into a working prototype, and ultimately take their solution back to their home companies. Examples included using AI to develop more engaging websites and creating an AI-powered data organization tool.
Discovering San Francisco’s Culture and History
With an unusually sunny stretch of July weather on their side, the visitors utilized some free time to explore some of San Francisco’s most iconic sights. At Alamo Square, they came face to face with the Painted Ladies, the postcard-famous row of pastel-colored Victorian homes framed against the downtown skyline. The group also visited the Palace of Fine Arts, originally constructed to evoke a Roman ruin for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and now a beloved setting for a leisurely afternoon. They rounded out their sightseeing with a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge, where they took in sweeping views of the Bay. These excursions offered a welcome opportunity to step back from the fast pace of technological innovation and experience the history, architecture, and charm that make San Francisco so much more than a global technology capital.
The visitors also enjoyed a sunset cruise on San Francisco Bay, taking in close-up views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and the sparkling city skyline while learning about the history of these landmarks. As the sun set over the water, the group caught the light installations of the Bay Bridge—a fitting finale to their time in San Francisco.
Advancing AI Innovation Through International Exchange
The San Francisco Bay Area’s strength in AI rests on its leading technology companies, investment, and the network of entrepreneurs and related partners who turn ideas into practical solutions. Through the IVLP, key AI experts from Brazil gained a closer understanding of this American innovation system and potential digital transformation applications in their own country. By connecting people and ideas, international exchange programs showcase American technological leadership, strengthen professional relationships, and create opportunities for future cooperation in critical fields that shape economic growth and public safety worldwide.
Authors: Julia Weeden & Alannah Crandall