Silicon Valley Leadership Group

08/31/2026

SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas joined NBC Bay Area’s Scott McGrew on the Sand Hill Road podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, data centers, the infrastructure required to support continued innovation, and the focused priorities guiding our work at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

The conversation also explored lessons from Ahmad’s career in the business world and on Capitol Hill that continue to shape his approach to leadership today.

A key takeaway: grounding the data center conversation in facts, not fear, and engaging in informed dialogue about how communities can share in the long-term benefits of innovation is more important than ever. It matters for our communities, our economy, jobs, and America’s ability to compete and lead in the global AI race.

Thank you to Scott for the thoughtful conversation and to NBC Bay Area for having Ahmad on the show.

Listen to the full conversation:

Sand Hill Road is a new weekly podcast featuring interviews from the heart of Silicon Valley with the venture capitalists, start-ups, and innovators behind the trending technologies of tomorrow.

08/24/2026

SVLG member Zoox has received approval for commercial deployment of its robotaxis, clearing the way for the company to begin charging for rides.

This milestone marks an important step forward for autonomous transportation and another example of California innovation helping shape the future of mobility.

Learn more at

Zoox has been granted federal regulatory approval by receiving the first-ever NHTSA Part 555 commercial exemption for its purpose-built robotaxi.

08/21/2026

SVLG and Stanford convened regional elected officials and policy staff for a timely discussion on what the latest data tells us about the direction of AI and what it means for Silicon Valley and communities across California.

The briefing on Stanford’s HAI 2026 AI Index provided a look at AI capabilities, adoption, investment, infrastructure and global competitiveness, offering valuable context as policymakers navigate a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

At a moment when AI is advancing at extraordinary speed, sound policy decisions must start with the evidence. The AI Index provides an important foundation for understanding where the technology is headed, where investment is flowing and what is at stake for California’s innovation economy.

SVLG and the Institute for California AI Policy are proud to partner with Stanford and to bring data-driven insights and informed dialogue to leaders across the region. We believe California can lead in AI while ensuring innovation translates into greater economic opportunity, stronger public services and continued global competitiveness.

Thank you to Stanford, the HAI team and our regional elected partners and their staff for engaging in this important conversation.

08/21/2026

This Wednesday, the City of San José held a community listening session to inform their continued work around data center development standards. SVLG spoke in support of robust and responsible data center infrastructure, noting the integral role of data centers across the economy and emphasizing Silicon Valley innovators' commitment to sustainable resource use.

08/19/2026

Yesterday’s SVLG & IBM: Build Your Own Agents workshop offered a hands-on look at the future of Agentic AI.

In partnership with IBM at its Silicon Valley Lab, SVLG members moved beyond theory to build their own AI agents using IBM Bob, exploring how these digital teammates can streamline workflows and drive real-world outcomes.

The workshop was a key activation of SVLG’s Agentic AI Task Force and an opportunity for our innovation ecosystem to engage directly in how autonomous systems are developed and deployed.

Thank you to our partners at IBM, our speakers, and all of the SVLG members who joined us to roll up their sleeves and build the future.

08/18/2026

Congratulations to SVLG member Waymo on receiving CPUC approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, while bringing its service to Sacramento and San Diego.

This milestone will help bring safer, smarter, and more inclusive mobility solutions to more Californians and communities across the state.

Waymo's robotaxi service expands across Northern and Southern California after CPUC approval, adding Sacramento and San Diego as new markets.

08/17/2026

Crankstart and Lever for Change have launched Boundless San Francisco! This competition will award up to $150 million to organizations anywhere in the world with ideas for making San Francisco a better place to live.

Proposals from any subject area are welcome, reflecting the premise that the next great idea for the city could come from anyone, anywhere.

Learn more and apply here:

On August 5, 2026, Crankstart and Lever for Change announced the launch of Boundless San Francisco, a competition that will award up to $150 million to organizations anywhere in the world with ideas for making San Francisco a better place to live. Up to three awardees will receive up to $50 million....

08/14/2026

Today, SVLG and SAP hosted an AI Policy Salon with Rep. Sam Liccardo for a substantive discussion on AI policy and what it will take to ensure California and the U.S. continue to lead in innovation.

SVLG board members and senior executives engaged in a thoughtful conversation on strengthening our global leadership in AI, advancing responsible innovation, and developing a future-ready workforce.

Thank you to Rep. Sam Liccardo, SAP, and the SVLG members who joined the conversation and helped shape the discussion.

08/14/2026

As agentic AI systems become more capable of taking action across workflows, governance must evolve alongside deployment.

This week, SVLG is highlighting three terms from our Agentic AI Glossary that help explain how organizations can design for responsible use:

Guardrails are the technical, procedural, or policy constraints that define and limit what an agent is allowed to do.

Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) refers to a design approach where a person must review, approve, or guide an agent before it takes certain actions.

Traceability is the ability to reconstruct what an agent did, what information it used, which tools it called, what decisions it made, and where human approvals occurred.

Together, these concepts help translate AI governance from principle to practice: setting clear boundaries, preserving human judgment where it matters, and ensuring organizations can understand and review agent behavior over time.

Read SVLG’s Agentic AI Glossary here: https://www.svlg.org/svlg-releases-agentic-ai-glossary-to-help-policymakers-navigate-the-next-phase-of-artificial-intelligence

08/13/2026

SVLG member Alaska Airlines has recently released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting progress across safety, sustainability, employee engagement and community impact while introducing new 2030 impact goals.

Across Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, the company is building on a year of significant growth and transformation with a unified strategy focused on long-term value for its people, guests and communities. Key efforts include advancing sustainable aviation fuel, reducing emissions, strengthening workforce development and expanding community partnerships.

SVLG commends Alaska Airlines' continued commitment to innovation, sustainability and the communities it serves.

Read the full 2025 Impact Report:

The combined carrier reported meaningful progress and identified areas for improvement against its 2025 impact goals.