From data to decisions: How AI is beginning to shape some large Malaysian cities
- Smart city initiatives in KL, Pg, JB, Putrajaya enhance mobility, safety, citizen engagement
- Partnerships, talent, governance & ecosystem building drive Malaysia’s AI city transformation
In Shenzhen, one of China’s most digitally advanced cities, technology now ensures public order in ways that once required an army of municipal workers.
“I was privileged to visit a command center in China recently,” said Ahmad Zaki Zahid, chief operating officer of Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). “Cameras are everywhere, and the algorithms detect if rubbish is left uncollected. Automatically, a ticket is sent to the city council to clear it. And there’s no human intervention.”
India vs. Singapore: Smart Cities Built on Scale or Precision?
India’s vast Smart Cities Mission contrasts Singapore’s precise Smart Nation initiative. Can scale or precision better solve urban challenges in these rapidly growing Asian nations?
India’s Smart Cities Mission, launched in 2015, aims to transform 100 cities into sustainable, tech-enabled urban hubs. By July 2024, 90% of its 8,000+ multi-sectoral projects were completed, with investments exceeding $19 billion. Cities like Bhubaneswar and Pune lead the charge. Bhubaneswar’s Smart Janpath project integrates smart parking and intelligent traffic systems, reducing congestion by 15% in key areas. Pune’s shift to cleaner fuels saw 90% of its bus fleet electrified by 2024, cutting emissions by 20%. These efforts target India’s urban population, now 35% of its total, projected to hit 50% by 2050.
Kenya Advances Konza Technopolis as Africa’s Leading Smart City
As a flagship project under Kenya’s Vision 2030, Konza Technopolis is being developed with world-class infrastructure, including green energy solutions, affordable housing, conferencing facilities, and cutting-edge digital services.
Kenya is accelerating the development of Konza Technopolis, positioning it as a leading Smart City in Africa. The initiative was highlighted during a tour of the Silicon Savannah by Hon. William Kabogo Gitau, along with colleagues Hon. Rebecca Miano and Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, aimed at strengthening partnerships to drive growth in ICT, tourism, investment, and industrialization.
Smart City Index Rankings 2025: See Where Indian Cities Stand Globally
Synopsis: The Smart City Index 2025 highlights global leaders like Zurich and Dubai, driven by technology, governance, and citizen well-being. While European and Middle Eastern cities excel, Indian cities face challenges of infrastructure, housing, and governance. Bridging these gaps is vital to achieving sustainable, competitive, and inclusive urban growth.
The worldwide quest for citizen-friendly, technology-led smart cities is accelerating, with cities looking to improve livability, governance, and sustainability. The IMD Smart City Index 2025 ranked Zurich first as a model of excellence, while Indian cities face significant challenges. This article analyses India’s rankings and explores opportunities for urban development.
CN: From IoT to Green Roofs: Shenzhen’s Smart City Success and the Unequal Future
A new study on Shenzhen shows that smart city technologies, like IoT-enabled grids, AI traffic systems, sponge city designs, and vertical greening, delivered big gains in energy efficiency, emissions cuts, and urban resilience. But inequities, high costs, and data privacy risks mean that without inclusive governance, the benefits risk favoring elites over vulnerable communities.
Shenzhen, China's most celebrated "model smart city," has become the stage for a striking experiment in digital sustainability, with researchers from the School of New Media Art and Design at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics examining how advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping urban planning. Their new study, published in Sustainable Futures (2025), offers a sweeping account of Shenzhen's push to integrate smart technologies into everyday city management between 2020 and 2023. The results are impressive, demonstrating energy savings, cleaner air, and stronger flood resilience. Yet the researchers also find troubling inequities and governance gaps that temper the success story, highlighting the dangers of a purely technocratic approach to sustainability.