146 FEATURE simulations with AI can significantly improve urban planning, infrastructure management, disaster response and more.” To fully capitalise on technologies such as generative AI and digital twins for smart city projects, cities and government agencies must first modernise their IT environments. “High-quality data must be at the centre of any AI-powered smart city project,” says Ongena. “Governments will have to make three changes at once: migrate to the cloud, unify their data estate and adopt AI capabilities. On top of this, they must incorporate robust security measures, create ethical AI frameworks, train employees to effectively use the new technologies and capabilities, and manage cultural change for both their staff and citizens. It will be challenging, but a recent Gartner study showed that governments are now the top investors in AI – this is unprecedented as they’re historically slow to adopt new technologies – so it’s clear they don’t want to be left behind.” Nevertheless, many governments and cities have lingering concerns about privacy, security, regulatory compliance and data sovereignty. Ongena acknowledges these fears but says they can take multiple steps to safely and securely implement the technologies. “To establish trust with the public and other stakeholders, city leaders must clearly explain what AI tools they are using, what data they are collecting and how it will be used to improve citizen services or the urban environment,” he says. “They should also be fully transparent about the risks of AI and how they will be mitigated.” In addition, cities should establish clear guidelines and best practices to ensure employees know how to interact with data and AI tools ethically and responsibly. “These frameworks should include basic principles designed to prevent employees Leaders in Paris use AI analytics to better understand and optimise traffic management in the French city
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