OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIES IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Angelina Bott
Institute of Radio and Information Systems (IRIS), Vienna, Austria;
iris@media-publisher.eu

DOI: 10.36724/2664-066X-2026-12-3-59-74

SYNCHROINFO JOURNAL. Volume 12, Number 3 (2026). P. 59-74.

Abstract

Cities generate vast amounts of information. Neural network models make it possible to process this data quickly. For example, predictive algorithms can forecast the load on power grids or identify problematic sections of roads. This publication was developed based on the Global Initiative on AI and Virtual Worlds – Discovering the Citiverse [1], which is a global multistakeholder platform launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations International Computing Center (UNICC) and Digital Dubai, and supported by more than 70 international partners. Review based on AI-Enabled Citiverse (Foundational Capabilities, A Strategic Blueprint and Use Cases for Cities in the Age of AI). The Initiative advances the development of the AI-enabled citiverse, where artificial intelligence, spatial intelligence, digital twins, and immersive systems converge to deliver real-world impact. It aims to ensure that this transformation is inclusive, trusted and interoperable, and that it serves people, cities and communities. AI-enabled citiverse constitutes a transformative, people-centric paradigm, enabling policymakers to harness these developments to build urban governance models. Examines the foundational elements that underpin urban intelligence, simulation, participation, interoperability, trust and inclusion, and assessing them through the lens of their relevance to urban governance and civic outcomes rather than on the basis of technical novelty alone.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Strategic Blueprint, Digital twins, AI-enabled citiverse

References

[1] Global Initiative on AI and Virtual Worlds – Discovering the Citiverse: https://www.itu.int/epublications/en/publication/ai-enabled-citiverse-foundational-capabilities-for-cities-in-the-age-of-ai

[2] Global Initiative on AI and Virtual Worlds – Discovering the Citiverse: https://www.itu.int/metaverse/virtual-worlds/ 

[3] The AI-Enabled Citiverse: A Strategic Blueprint for Cities in the Age of AI: https://www.itu.int/epublications/en/publication/ai-enabled-citiverse-a-strategic-blueprint-for-cities-in-the-age-of-ai

[4] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2024). Governing with artificial intelligence: Are governments ready? OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/26324bc2-en

[5] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2024). United Nations e-government survey 2024. https://desapublications.un.org/sites/default/files/publications/2024-09/%28Web%20version%29%20E-Government%20Survey%202024%201392024.pdf

[6] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2024). Digital public infrastructure for digital governments (OECD Public Governance Policy Papers No. 68). OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/12/digital-public-infrastructure-for-digital-governments_11fe17d9/ff525dc8-en.pdf

[7] International Telecommunication Union. (2025). Citiverse use case taxonomy: Global insights and implementation pathways. https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu -t/opb/ gen/T-GEN-META-2025-1-PDF-E.pdf