Insights Into Cities in The Digital Era: A People-Centered Approach to Smart Cities

Abstract

While digital technologies have numerous advantages for urban systems, they also exacerbate disparities and generate societal consequences, such as digital urban inequalities. To address these issues, a "people-centered smart cities" approach offers a comprehensive strategy for building safe, inclusive smart cities. This essay reviews the impact of digital technology deployment in cities and offers policy recommendations for local governments, based on insights from webinars organized by the UNESCO Chair at Montreal University. These discussions, known as "Insights Into," brought together experts from academia, international organizations, and local governments. The text investigates the dynamics of digital technology in urban settings across four main sections. The first section addresses the increasing digital divide in cities, emphasizing how digital advancements exacerbate socio-economic disparities rather than bridging them. The discussion then shifts to how algorithmic systems, such as the Dutch childcare benefit scandal, deepen disparities and inadvertently promote racial profiling, affecting marginalized families severely. Subsequently, the concept of "people-centered smart cities" is introduced, which prioritizes community needs, digital equity, and inclusive governance to foster fairer urban environments. Lastly, the text highlights successful practices for digital inclusion and transparency, such as Sierra Leone's internet initiatives in schools and public AI registries in cities like Helsinki and Amsterdam, as well as creative participatory planning using Minecraft, all aimed at making cities more inclusive and responsive to the needs of their residents.

Digital Technologies Are Increasingly Embedded in Cities.

Technology has always been at the heart of urban transformation. From the first industrial revolution with the steam engine to what is now considered the fifth revolution with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the city continues to transform through technology (Batty, 2024). At the heart of these technologies today are, notably but not limited to, AI, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things, big data, blockchain, robots, etc. These technologies have numerous applications for cities, ranging from smart management of urban infrastructures to improving resource management and service delivery. For example, AI allows for optimizing urban performance in various areas, while sensors integrated into urban infrastructures enable smarter resources and environmental management (UN-Habitat & MIila, 2022). Robots help automate tasks, provide services, and generate valuable data on urban dynamics (Salvini, 2018). Blockchain offers a secure and transparent ledger of transactions, promoting urban governance and resource management (Abdinassir Sagar & Bananayo, 2021).

While these technologies offer many advantages for urban systems, they also generate significant societal impacts, including digital urban inequalities (Kempin Reuter, 2020).

The Increasing Digital Divide in The City in The Digital Age

It is now clear that digital technology also exacerbates inequalities, particularly the digital divide (Brannon, 2017). Access to technology no longer depends solely on access to broadband and its affordability, but also on what individuals can do with the technology. This shift poses challenges as AI-based automation transforms professional landscapes. Moreover, the interaction between location, educational opportunities, and access to technology underscores the complex relationship between urban inequalities and digital skills (UN-Habitat, 2021).
In some cities, like New York, about 21% of the population does not have access to broadband, highlighting that digital disparities are based not only on regional divisions but also on spatial characteristics within cities (Horrigan, 2021). Wealthier neighborhoods tend to have better digital infrastructure, better access to devices, and education, while residents of informal neighborhoods or less affluent areas face these inequalities.

There is a distinction between opportunities and access to digital resources influenced by neighborhood composition, local digital infrastructure, educational and employment opportunities, and income levels. The design of technology plays a crucial role, with issues such as language barriers and limited accessibility for people with specific needs. Missing representation and data perpetuate inequalities, with certain places and people being underrepresented on digital platforms.

Algorithmic Systems Reinforce Discrimination

Digital technologies reinforce inequalities and power asymmetries while deepening existing socio-economic divisions instead of producing fairer, more egalitarian, and more inclusive societies (Kempin Reuter, 2020). The Dutch childcare benefit scandal in the Netherlands provides a prime example of the "weapons of math destruction" as described by O'Neil (2017). The Dutch tax administration utilized algorithms to assess the risk profiles of individuals applying for child benefits, which incorporated criteria such as having foreign-sounding names or dual citizenship. As a result, many racialized families with low to moderate incomes were falsely accused of fraud and were compelled to repay the legally obtained benefits. This led to racial profiling and had severe consequences for the affected families, including financial strain, loss of homes or jobs, and in some instances, separation of children from their parents. The Dutch childcare case highlights the intricate network of inequalities faced by non-native residents in the Netherlands, which include financial disparities, language barriers, and housing inequalities. Furthermore, these individuals often lack the financial means to challenge the government, which further perpetuates these inequalities. As illustrated by this Dutch case, it is clear that there is an intricate interplay between digital disparities and broader urban inequalities.

Towards More People-Centered Cities in The Digital Era

"People-centered smart cities" represent a paradigm shift from the traditional approach to smart cities, which often prioritizes technological applications. The focus here is on integrating community needs, digital equity, robust infrastructure, security, and capacity building into urban development. The community pillar emphasizes aligning smart city initiatives with the needs of citizens and grounding services in digital human rights to enhance participation. The digital equity pillar strives to provide universal access to the internet, digital skills, and devices, promoting inclusivity. Infrastructure development is guided by the infrastructure pillar, which aims to digitize services and establish a governance framework for data management, ensuring efficiency and inclusiveness. The Security pillar focuses on safeguarding the assets of smart cities to strengthen public trust and security. Finally, the Capacity pillar encourages partnerships and strengthens organizational capabilities to support the sustainable and equitable growth of smart cities, ensuring that technological implementations consider equity, environmental justice, and social justice. Together, these pillars frame a holistic approach to building safe, inclusive smart cities tailored to the dynamic needs of their residents. Alongside the person-centered approach, it is crucial to address the unequal power dynamics of large tech companies and to pressure them to act more ethically in the design and use of technologies.

From Digital Inclusion to Transparency, Inspiring Approaches Are Emerging

Good practices include community digital inclusion initiatives, professional training, and providing access to devices through libraries and community centers. For example, Sierra Leone's collaboration with international organizations to provide internet access to schools illustrates how digital transformation programs can enhance communities and reduce inequalities.
Municipalities such as Helsinki, San Jose, and Amsterdam have established a public AI registry to make the use of algorithmic systems transparent. This approach aims to ensure increased transparency about the AI applications deployed by the municipality, providing an accessible platform where citizens can obtain detailed information and participate in the development of human-centered AI. The registry details various aspects such as goals and impacts, accountability, datasets used, data processing, non-discrimination principles, human oversight, potential risks, mitigation strategies, and system explainability. The registry revolves around a rigorous evaluation of the AI systems used by the municipality, involving a risk analysis.

The "Block by Block" approach is an inspiring example that uses the popular video game Minecraft as a co-creation tool in urban planning and design (UN-Habitat, 2024). This initiative allows people, including those without specialized training, to use Minecraft to rethink their urban environment, thus leveling the playing field between professionals and the general public. Technology thus offers opportunities to facilitate informed and equitable conversations between urban planners and the community. These efforts aim to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all city dwellers can fully participate in the digital world.

Recommendations For Local Governments

Policies and governance are crucial in addressing disparities in cities in the digital era. Indeed, governance plays a critical role in shaping this new digital world collectively rather than leaving it in the hands of a few major private corporations. Here are some recommendations for local governments:

Limit technological dependence: Local governments must be aware of the dangers of excessive dependence on certain private technologies. To reduce this dependency, it is necessary to diversify technological sources by encouraging competition and supporting the development of local alternatives. This approach would enhance the resilience of urban systems against possible service disruptions or changes in the policies of private companies.

Use data ethically and transparently: Local governments should establish data governance policies that ensure the protection of citizens' privacy while allowing the use of data to improve urban services and quality of life. It is also crucial to involve citizens in the process of data collection and use, ensuring transparency and securing their informed consent.

The leadership of local elected officials is essential: Local governments must invest in training their elected officials to raise awareness of the societal issues raised by digital technologies and prepare them to lead an inclusive digital transformation of territories. By developing these skills, local elected officials will be better equipped to make informed decisions and engage their community in a process of sustainable and equitable urban development.

Collaborate with local researchers: This collaboration could promote local research and development, focusing on using the skills of local researchers to create solutions tailored to the specific needs of cities. By investing in the training and development of these local resources, local governments can promote innovation and create technological solutions that effectively address local social challenges.

Support community initiatives: By supporting projects developed by community members, local authorities can encourage the creation of region-specific solutions. These initiatives can help solve unique social problems faced by local communities and strengthen the social fabric by promoting citizen participation.

References

Abdinassir Sagar, & Bananayo, P. (2021). Blockchain for urban development. UN-Habitat. https://unhabitat.org/blockchain-for-urban-development-guidance-for-urban-managers
Batty, M. (2024). The computable city?: Histories, technologies, stories, predictions. The MIT Press.
Brannon, M. M. (2017). Datafied and Divided?: Techno-Dimensions of Inequality in American Cities. City and Community, 16(1), 20?24. https://doi.org/10.1111/cico.12220
Horrigan, J. B. (2021). New York’s Digital Divide?: Examining adoption of internet and computers for the state and its library districts. https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/documents/HorriganReportNY.pdf
Kempin Reuter, T. (2020). Smart City Visions and Human Rights?: Do They Go Together?
O’Neil, C. (2017). Weapons of math destruction. Penguin Books.
Salvini, P. (2018). Urban robotics?: Towards responsible innovations for our cities. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 100, 278?286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2017.03.007
UN-Habitat. (2021). Assessing the Digital Divide (p. 1?74). https://unhabitat.org/assessing-the-digital-divide
UN-Habitat. (2024). Block by block. Block by Block. https://www.blockbyblock.org/
UN-Habitat & MIila. (2022). AI & Cities?: Risks, Applications and Governance. In UN-Habitat. https://unhabitat.org/ai-cities-risks-applications-and-governance

Author’s bio:

Leandry Jieutsa is an urban planner currently advancing his expertise as a Ph.D. student at the UNESCO Chair University of Montreal, specializing in Artificial Intelligence governance in cities. His experience includes working with UN-Habitat in Nairobi, where he contributed to the development of master plans and national urban policies to support the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. As the Founder and Executive Director of the Africa Innovation Network, he leads efforts to foster sustainable urban development through collaborative initiatives across Africa.