Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge Winners Innovate with AI and Resident Input

City projects range from using AI to prevent water bill issues to building floating parks to reduce flooding.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The winners of the 2026 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge have created innovative projects to improve their cities' core services, many using a combination of artificial intelligence and resident input. The 24 winners, from cities around the world, will each receive $1 million to implement their programs, which range from using AI to proactively assist residents to building floating parks to reduce flooding.

Why it matters

The Mayors Challenge aims to help local governments become more bold, creative, and proactive in solving problems and meeting residents' needs. By supporting experimentation and the integration of new technologies like AI, the challenge seeks to build trust between cities and their communities.

The details

The winning projects include South Bend, Indiana using AI to interpret data and offer proactive services to residents, Boise, Idaho using geothermal energy to lower heating bills, and Pasig City, Philippines building floating parks in the Pasig River to create new community space and reduce flooding. Other winners are located in countries like Jordan, Mozambique, and the Philippines. The mayors say the Mayors Challenge funding and support will allow them to accelerate and expand their innovative initiatives.

  • The 2026 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge winners were announced on February 23, 2026.

The players

James Mueller

The Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana since 2020, who is using AI to proactively assist residents.

Michael R. Bloomberg

The founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P., who launched the Mayors Challenge to help local governments solve problems and meet residents' needs.

James Anderson

The head of government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies, who says many of this year's winners are integrating AI in sophisticated ways.

Vico Sotto

The mayor of Pasig City in the Philippines, whose project to build floating parks in the Pasig River was named a Mayors Challenge winner.

Monique Blanco Boulet

The Republican mayor-president of Lafayette, Louisiana, whose plan to update the city's sewer system was also named a Mayors Challenge winner.

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What they’re saying

“Technology is not necessarily good or bad – it's how it's used and how you protect against abuses. We're trying to use cutting edge tools to deliver city services in a proactive way that meets our residents' needs.”

— James Mueller, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana (ksgf.com)

“The most effective city halls are bold, creative, and proactive in solving problems and meeting residents' needs – and we launched the Mayors Challenge to help more of them succeed.”

— Michael R. Bloomberg (ksgf.com)

“Testing and learning and adapting new ideas don't generally get funded with public dollars. It is up to philanthropy to support experimentation.”

— James Anderson, Head of government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies (ksgf.com)

“The government doesn't have a great reputation when it comes to maintaining infrastructure. So we will be creating a governance council, including people who live in the area, so definitely they're not going to abandon these parks. They're going to take care of them because they're using them as well.”

— Vico Sotto, Mayor of Pasig City, Philippines (ksgf.com)

“Bloomberg Philanthropies, the staff, Michael Bloomberg – all of them – have such a global impact in ways that most people will never know. They bring in a level of capacity and give you the space to really be creative and to come up with solutions that can change lives.”

— Monique Blanco Boulet, Mayor-President of Lafayette, Louisiana (ksgf.com)

What’s next

The 24 winning cities will now receive $1 million each from Bloomberg Philanthropies to implement their innovative projects, as well as support from the organization's experts to help the initiatives succeed.

The takeaway

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge is empowering local governments around the world to tackle pressing issues facing their communities in creative ways, often by leveraging new technologies like AI and prioritizing direct resident input. The winning projects demonstrate how cities can build trust and better serve their residents through bold, innovative approaches.