The Chicago AI Council was born out of the AI 2030 Chicago AI Week Advisory Group, the organizing force behind the last three editions of Chicago AI Week. These events brought together over 1,000 global leaders from more than 20 countries to explore the future of responsible and impactful AI. Building on that momentum, the Council was officially launched on June 17, 2025, during Chicago AI Week, with a mission to scale the advisory group's work and position Chicago as a global leader in ethical, inclusive, and innovation-driven AI.

Chaired by Betsy Ziegler and Xiaochen Zhang, the Chicago AI Council is composed of distinguished leaders from across the public and private sectors who share a bold, unifying vision: to harness the power of AI for societal good, inclusive economic growth, and global collaboration.Their expertise spans industry, government, academia, and civil society—working together to advance trustworthy AI adoption, fuel research-to-market innovation, and ensure AI education leads to real job opportunities for all.

We welcome both organizations and individual leaders to join this growing movement. Whether you are driving AI policy, building cutting-edge technology, investing in startups, or championing community impact, there is a place for you in the Chicago AI Council. Together, we are shaping a future where Chicago leads the world in responsible AI leadership.