Boston Mayor Pitches AI Summit with San Francisco to Boost Tech Competitiveness

Wu seeks advice from business leaders on how to make Boston a global leader in artificial intelligence.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 12:05am

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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu met with dozens of area business leaders at Harvard University's Allston campus to discuss how the city can become more competitive in attracting and growing AI companies. Wu floated the idea of a bicoastal summit with San Francisco to focus on the overlap between Boston's strengths in healthcare, life sciences, and biotech, and the California tech hub's dominance in AI. The mayor asked for the attendees' help in finding the city's next chief of economic opportunity and inclusion, and offered to be part of town halls and conversations at big and emerging companies.

Why it matters

Boston has long been a rival to Silicon Valley in building and attracting tech companies, but the California region has taken the lead in artificial intelligence. As a global hub for healthcare, life sciences, and biotech, Boston sees an opportunity to leverage those strengths and compete more effectively for AI businesses and talent.

The details

While Wu spoke on the record at the event, other participants were not quoted. The attendees represented sectors like financial services, pharmaceuticals, and biotech, and included executives from companies like Hasbro, Jellyfish, Whoop, and Flagship Pioneering. They discussed ways Boston could improve its appeal to recent college graduates, such as by enhancing the city's nightlife, culture, housing, and mentorship programs. Wu said the city is working to improve culture and nightlife, but acknowledged challenges in getting the information out to people.

  • The meeting took place on Wednesday, April 2, 2026 at Harvard University's Allston campus.

The players

Michelle Wu

The mayor of Boston who organized the meeting with business leaders to discuss how the city can become more competitive in attracting and growing AI companies.

Daniel Lurie

The mayor of San Francisco, whom Wu said she pitched the idea of a bicoastal summit to.

Chris Cocks

The CEO of Hasbro, one of the business leaders who attended the meeting.

Andrew Lau

The CEO of Jellyfish, one of the business leaders who attended the meeting.

Ed Baker

The CEO of Whoop, one of the business leaders who attended the meeting.

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What they’re saying

“'I f they are going hard and leaning into everything in AI [and] we are doubling down on healthcare and life sciences and bio, that overlap of where all of that gets applied really could be the focus of what we spend time in on both coasts,'”

— Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston

What’s next

Wu said she pitched the idea of a bicoastal summit with San Francisco to that city's mayor, Daniel Lurie. The mayor also asked the attendees for help in finding the city's next chief of economic opportunity and inclusion, and offered to be part of town halls and conversations at big and emerging companies.

The takeaway

Boston is looking to leverage its strengths in healthcare, life sciences, and biotech to compete more effectively with Silicon Valley for AI businesses and talent. By exploring a partnership with San Francisco, the city hopes to create a hub for the application of AI across multiple industries, attracting companies and skilled workers to the region.