State of the City Recap
Mayor Birney speaks on connection and innovation in Redmond, with nods to AI
Mayor Angela Birney speaks at the State of the City address in Redmond, WA. Photo by Jason Miller.
By Madeline Virginia
March 31, 2026
Originally published in the Spring 2026 edition of the Redmond Moments Newspaper.
Mayor Angela Birney held the annual State of the City address on March 11 at City Hall.
This year, the theme of the address was broken down into four parts: Belonging, Connection, Innovation, and Spirit. Topics focused largely on the upcoming 2 Line light rail completion, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seattle.
The event was preceded with a local business showcase organized by OneRedmond, which included catering from two Redmond bakeries, Cafecito Mexican Bakery and 100th Ave Cakes. The Mayor’s opening speech was opened by The Snoqualmie Tribe, who performed two songs.
The OneRedmond member showcase. Photo by Jason Miller.
Cafecito Mexican Bakery served desserts like Conchitas and Mexican Hot Choco
late. Photo by Jason Miller.
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology was mentioned a few times throughout the presentation, an industry that the City seems to be embracing. Though, the event’s messaging acknowledged that AI tech is not always viewed positively.
Mayor Birney opened a discussion with featured speaker Rahul Dodhia, Deputy Director of the Microsoft AI For Good Research Lab, saying, “It seems that everywhere you go these days, there’s talk of AI– and some concern, too.”
Dodhia reflected on the start of the Research Lab with a joke that fell flat with the audience, saying, “People were afraid, you know, ‘AI is going to start World War III, AI is going to destroy your way of life.’ Well, yes, it may do that. But in the meanwhile, before we get there, let’s see if it can do some good.”
The phrasing was odd considering the many protests and arrests at the Redmond Microsoft campus during 2025, which largely centered around Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli military, and the use of AI technology in war. The mention of “World War III” may have also been in poor taste, with the State of the City address coming just days after U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran.
Dodhia spoke about bad actors in the AI industry, stating, “Along with AI for Good comes our other hat: AI for Bad. We have to think like the bad people do in order to make sure that our well-intentioned AI For Good technology doesn’t get subverted and used for ‘AI for Bad’”.
At this point, Mayor Birney quickly shifted the discussion with a laugh, saying “We’re going to stay on the positive today!”
Other Redmond businesses and nonprofits were also featured during the State of the City address, including the final panel which included representatives from AIM Intelligent Machines, the School Break Food Box Program, and Eastside for All.
Watch the full address here, on the City of Redmond’s YouTube channel.
