In Focus: Redefining the “Smart” in Smart Cities
February 8, 2022
The term “smart cities” has a certain aura — it promises to solve the problems urban areas face using technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, digital cameras, and sensor networks.
The potential of smart city solutions is seemingly limitless — the market opportunity ( estimated at $741.6 billion in 2020) is boundless, and there are many problems to be solved. In its simplest definition, a smart city is one that uses data gathered through its operations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of those same operations. But for a city to truly be smart, it needs to go beyond data and technology and focus on addressing the root causes of inequities and improving quality of life for all its residents.