Will all cities become smart?

Cities are places of constant reinvention, with ongoing technology advances and the arrival of AI adding another layer to the capacity of places, big and small, to reshape experience and improve urban management. At the same time, the mass adoption of digital tools is shifting people’s expectations about how the physical world should enable them more evenly across cities, towns, and regions, influencing the design and use of places, and creating opportunities for cities to invest in smart solutions that improve relationships to place for residents and businesses. This talk will explore six global trends, including the need for cost efficiencies and greater use of data in decision-making, that suggest all towns will become smart before drawing on data from 600 smart city projects from across Europe to illustrate the essential pillars for a successful smart transition strategy.