The concept of the “smart city,” a technologically interconnected urban environment designed to improve quality of life and sustainability, is no longer relegated to science fiction. For years, cities worldwide have integrated digital technologies to manage traffic, optimise energy consumption, and enhance public services. However, the initial wave focused largely on collecting data and automating simple processes. Now, powered by significant advancements in AI, a new wave of innovation is cresting, promising to make cities not just smart, but truly intelligent, adaptive, and personalised environments. This next generation of AI-driven technologies is poised to fundamentally reshape how cities operate and how citizens experience urban living.
Smart cities have revolutionized urban development by leveraging modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation networks, and data-driven solutions to enhance quality of life.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), discussed the organization’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and create smart, sustainable cities and communities globally. As smart city initiatives continue to evolve, Dr. Zavazava highlighted the ITU’s significant role in shaping policies and standards to support inclusive and resilient smart city developments worldwide.
The Department of Science and Technology recently introduced Project LUNGSOD, an initiative that would create smarter, more connected and efficient cities by leveraging technology and data-driven solutions, to the Provincial Government of South Cotabato.
Engineer Dominic Fargas, project supervising technical specialist, presented Project LUNGSOD to members of the Provincial Research, Development, and Innovation Committee at the South Cotabato State College in Surallah, South Cotabato, on March 5.
Areas to be fostered as smart cities will be selected this year. The 'Smart City Specialized Complex Creation Project' to foster new industries will also be held for the first time this year.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 16th that it will hold a contest for the "2025 Smart City Creation and Diffusion Project" from the 17th, which will be created by local governments and companies in cooperation to solve various urban problems and revitalize the smart city industry by incorporating smart technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) into cities.
A new study ranking the smartest cities in the United States has Philadelphia ranked at number 10, according to Andreea Neculae for CoworkingCafe.
The rankings were heavily determined by how each city is doing in terms of technology-driven urban development. It uses 13 key metrics, which are then categorized in three weighted groups: Smart Infrastructure and Connectivity, Sustainability and Green Initiatives, and Tech Job Market.