HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The City of Huntsville has chosen its first Chief Innovation Officer.
The city chose Dr. Larry Lowe to lead the position beginning May 1. As CIO, he will work under a two-year consulting agreement with the Industrial Development Board, supporting the City of Huntsville, Huntsville Utilities and the Solid Waste Disposal Authority.
His duties include helping these agencies to embrace new technologies and find smarter, more efficient ways to serve the community better.
The City said Lowe is a seasoned tech entrepreneur and passionate civic leader, bringing a deep background in technology, data science, and innovation strategy to the newly created role.
Additionally, the City said he built and sold two successful tech companies and recently launched a consulting firm, Fractal Analytics Project. He’s also previously worked with the City’s Inspections Department and Huntsville Utilities to improve services using advanced data solutions.
“Innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about making city services more efficient, scalable and community-centered,” Lowe said. “I’m honored to serve my hometown and help lead its digital transformation.”
Mayor Tommy Battle says the CIO role is a big step forward.
“Lowe will help us think strategically about how to use innovation in ways that support smart, inclusive growth,” Battle said.
The City said Lowe will lead Huntsville’s push to evaluate and integrate emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence. His focus will be on using tech to improve the City’s operations, without replacing jobs.
“Lowe will help us zoom out and see how advanced technologies can make our city run better,” Battle said. “We want to stay ahead of the curve, to give us a competitive edge and make our city a little bit better, a little bit leaner and more responsive to our citizens.”
Lowe is also part of the Mayor’s AI Task Force, which recently got a $50,000 grant to create an AI-focused curriculum to boost STEM education in eight key industries across Huntsville.
Battle created the task force 14 months ago, choosing thought leaders from government, academia and industry to ensure Huntsville would be at the forefront in using AI ethically and effectively.
“AI is a tool that we need to become familiar with,” Lowe said. “Part of the challenge is that the technology is changing so fast that it can be hard to get your footing. But the genie is not going back in the bottle, and AI has become part of our day-to-day work.”
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