A smart city uses information and communication technology to improve government serices, economic development, and quality of life. Cities are becoming more innovative due to their rapid growth and AI-powered analysis of massive datasets generated by the management and maintenance of major urban centres.
To borrow a quote from Stephen Hawking, “Everything that civilisation has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools that AI may provide, but the eradication of war, disease, and poverty would be high on anyone’s list. Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last.”
Role of AI in smart cities
A city is characterised by its concentrated population. It is a permanent, densely populated region with officially defined boundaries, where most inhabitants are engaged in non-agricultural activities. In urban areas, the density of human developments such as homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and railroads is high, indicating that they are highly developed. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 65 per cent of the world's population is projected to reside in urban areas by the year 2050. In 2016, there were roughly 512 metropolitan areas with a population of one million and approximately 31 megacities with a population of more than 10 million.
The future of urban development
AI has been employed in smart city research since 2008, according to a scientometric analysis in 2018. Furthermore, it has been linked to global sustainable developments, particularly by developing countries employing AI to promote the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Using Artificial Intelligence to allow smart city solutions provides several advantages, including improved water supply, energy management, waste management, and reduced traffic congestion, noise, and pollution.
Most smart city activities and technology have focused on collecting data and obtaining new information on the complexity and dynamics of a city. AI elevates cities to the next level by allowing them to use data and knowledge to make better decisions. AI will enable more than 30 per cent of smart city applications by 2025, including urban mobility solutions, significantly increasing urban life's resilience, sustainability, social welfare, and vitality. Researchers, government officials, and practitioners are continually looking for new information and ideas to make cities smart, thanks to the rapid expansion of AI-based smart city programmes.
How is AI transforming urban living?
If used in the correct places, the application of AI in smart cities can be life-changing. There are numerous zones in cities or urban development where AI can be applied to improve system performance and efficiency.
Security camera & surveillance system
AI-enabled cameras and sensors can monitor the environment to increase city neighbourhood safety. These cameras can identify individuals and their features and monitor their behaviour in restricted areas.
Traffic management system
Most individuals in cities own cars, and there is a large flow of commercial vehicles to transport people and products. Parking such cars and traffic management are two further areas where AI can assist.
Aerial-view monitoring
Autonomous or AI-enabled drones or similar aerial objects can be used to monitor the inner city, homes, and other potentially dangerous areas. Drones' built-in cameras provide administration and security departments with real-time visuals of locations that humans cannot reach readily or quickly, enabling them to take prompt action. Drones capable of autonomous flight can track humans, monitor traffic, and provide 2D aerial imagery mapping for improved urbanisation. It can be used for sophisticated security and surveillance by security departments and the police.
Face-detection cameras
AI in facial recognition technology can recognise various persons based on their faces, revealing their identities. For example, AI in security cameras or drones may recognise human faces and compare them to a database to trace the person's identification and confirm their entry into towns, communities, and other restricted locations.
Smart waste-management system
People living in cities generate a large amount of waste, which presents another difficulty for urban management in finding the best approach to manage rubbish and keep the environment clean to maintain society's hygiene level.
Energy and water management
Similarly, in smart cities, the power-generating infrastructure and intelligent water management are significant contributors to producing less polluting energy. Such a strategy also aids in obtaining clean potable water to preserve the environment.
Transportation system
Clean and efficient transportation of products and services is critical for people in smart cities. As a result, many cities are resorting to smart technologies to alleviate traffic congestion and give consumers real-time updates to optimise mobility.
Security and safety
People's safety in cities is of the utmost importance in such places. AI-enabled smart city development enables municipalities to monitor their citizens better using CCTV cameras with facial recognition. AI cameras are also outfitted with motion and smoke detectors for enhanced security surveillance.
Conclusion
Bringing AI to smart cities is challenging, as many obstacles exist. The challenges in developing such cities are wider than a lack of financial resources; a lack of technological superiority and other factors will also be explored. In addition, the privacy and safety of residents in these megacities is another obstacle to their development.
It is anticipated that by 2030, there will be approximately 662 urban areas and 41 megacities, the overwhelming majority of which will be in emerging regions. This urbanisation rate will substantially impact the cities' environment, administration, healthcare, energy, education, and safety. Furthermore, smart cities will eventually become the norm in the nation's leading urban centres.
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