Why the future city is AI

The world around us is getting smarter every day. From the way we work to the way we travel, from our homes to our offices, technology can be found both at the forefront and in the background of our day to day lives. As this continues to evolve, what does it mean for our future cities?

Simply put, the future is smart. Smart cities are soon to become the norm to offer a more efficient and connected environment for citizens, visitors, residents and employees alike. And what’s more, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a huge role in how these cities will function.

Local authorities across the UK want to unlock the value of future-thinking and sustainable smart cities and connected communities. This can be achieved through a range of solutions which help them to make step changes in citizen centricity, increase improvements in operating cost and productivity, and establish innovative business models and improve environmental outcomes. However, flexibility will be key for this promised land of efficiencies and technology to run smoothly, as authorities continue to support the needs of a developing population while staying on budget.

Business and citizen experience of the smart city

What would an AI-driven smart city mean for business? The smart city can interact and support various businesses, from shops to cafés, offices to restaurants - and everything in between. While this may sound simple, when you consider the vast and varying needs of one business, then multiply that by dozens on one street, then by dozens of streets, and you begin to build a picture of how diverse and complex a network that is needed.

However, the role of AI and machine learning (ML) in supporting businesses can go beyond the expected. Utilising factors such as gamification can increase footfall, direct customers, and encourage loyalty from clients will all support and expand the smart city concept. In Edinburgh, for example, CGI is working with the council to develop a smart city system that utilises AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and analytics technologies to support the services and businesses within the community.

The smart city affords organisations a smoother process by harmonising interconnected aspects such as transportation and logistics. Our intelligent transport solutions, for example, work to improve customer service and loyalty and reduce customer churn and costs. From mitigating public transport delays to redirecting traffic to improve parking situations, a smart city should work to harmonise the environment around it.

What’s more, for the environmentally-conscious citizen, the integration of business and smart cities can unlock further emission reductions by utilising smart tech such as AI and IoT to limit waste. From issuing immediate back-office processes such as invoices to better storage through the cloud, an organisation looking to reduce waste and emissions can be more eco-savvy in a smart

environment. Our digital ecosystem is designed with our physical ecosystem in mind. By using more tech, there is an increased drive for technology and an increased opportunity to increase the move to green and renewable resources.

The foundations of change: AI and ML

On a more granular level, it’s important to consider what AI and ML can do to support the individual. AI and ML have the power to keep learning, adapting, and evolving, which is why they are integral in creating smart cities.

As the needs of a population grow, the offerings of a city begin to shift. I’m sure most of us have encountered outdated infrastructure in our time, so we all understand how frustrating this can be. As our wants, needs and demands become more immediate, a slow city with an unusable infrastructure can go from inconvenient to outdated and unusable, and fast. function early on in the creation of smart city infrastructure, you can embed a certain level of flexibility – essentially allowing the city to breathe and turn more comfortably in its natural direction as it begins to change. What’s more, AI and ML can be integrated with several other technologies to provide more specific services, meaning they can be built upon and improved continuously as and when needed.

Benefitting the end-user

Creating an infrastructure with this level of flexibility goes a long way in supporting the citizens who live and work there. It creates a smart environment that meets the needs of those in it and ensures they are supported through efficiently operating services. This also ensures that plans can be applied to different towns and cities in a tailored way, creating a blueprint that can be implemented in a simple and straightforward way. with the end-user in mind; it’s critical to keep their needs and wants as a priority, while ensuring businesses and key infrastructure are catered to seamlessly. The goal is to develop and nurture an ecosystem by creating an efficient process for everything from public transport and council services to the shops and offices we spend our time in.

AI and ML have a huge part to play in the future of our cities and our communities. As the world gets smarter, these tools allow flexibility for our cities to grow, and the tools needed to support everyone who uses it.