This is a guest post by BABLE Smart Cities. Visit their Knowledge Hub for more information on how your city can implement AI effectively.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how city administrations manage operations, services, and citizen engagement. At its essence, AI is about crafting computer systems capable of tasks that normally require human intellect, such as understanding speech or recognising images. It is a broad field that includes machine learning (ML), deep learning, and generative AI, each contributing uniquely to automating processes and enhancing decision-making.

By embracing AI, cities can reduce operational costs, improve service delivery, and build more resilient, sustainable urban environments that meet the needs of citizens today and in the future.

The image below illustrates the AI landscape, from narrow AI applications to more advanced models like GPT-4, showcasing the different layers of AI technologies.

Adapted from EU Commission, 2024

In the context of smart cities, AI is being harnessed to:

• Optimise infrastructure (e.g., traffic management, waste collection).
• Automate public services (e.g., chatbots for city enquiries).
• Provide real-time data insights for decision-making (e.g., predictive maintenance).

This article explores how AI is already shaping city administration across four key areas: automating administrative tasks, enhancing decision-making, improving public services, and addressing ethical considerations.

Streamlining Administrative Processes with AI

Cities generate vast amounts of data and require efficient ways to manage routine administrative tasks. AI can automate these processes, freeing human workers to focus on more strategic issues.

In Finland, the Finnish Immigration Service addressed the burden of routine enquiries by deploying the Virtual Agent Network (VAN). This AI system uses natural language processing (NLP) to manage enquiries across different departments, significantly reducing wait times for citizens and improving overall service efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, VAN helped to optimise resource allocation and free up time for employees to focus on complex cases.

Website: IA Observatorio de inteligencia artificial, 2020

This example illustrates how AI can improve workflow efficiency and reduce administrative overload in public sector operations.

Enhancing decision-making with AI-Driven Predictive Analytics

AI’s predictive analytics capabilities enable city officials to make data-driven decisions that anticipate future needs and challenges. From traffic management to infrastructure maintenance, AI helps governments plan more effectively and efficiently.

In Essen, Germany, the TWIN4ROAD project has successfully used AI-driven digital twins and ground-penetrating radar to predict road wear and pothole formation. By analysing real-time data on road conditions, the city can proactively schedule repairs, optimising resources and reducing long-term infrastructure costs.

Website: Strassen NRW, 2023

This use case highlights how AI can transform decision-making processes by predicting challenges and offering actionable insights for urban planning and resource management.

Improving Public Services with Personalised AI Solutions

Personalised public services are becoming a reality with AI, enabling cities to tailor services to the specific needs of their citizens. By analysing real-time data, AI can provide insights that help improve service delivery and enhance citizen satisfaction.

Website: The standard 2020

For instance, the City of London used AI during the pandemic to monitor public space usage, which allowed administrators to optimise the use of cycle lanes, parks, and public areas. Initially aimed at enforcing social distancing, this AI tool evolved into an urban planning resource, helping city officials make decisions based on real-time data about how citizens use public spaces.

Such personalised solutions ensure that cities can adapt their services to meet the dynamic needs of their residents, improving the overall quality of life.

Ethical AI: Ensuring Transparency and Accountability

As AI becomes more integral to city management, ensuring ethical and responsible governance is paramount. AI governance refers to the framework of policies, regulations, and practices that guide the ethical deployment of AI technologies in city administration. It focusses on transparency, fairness, and accountability, ensuring AI systems are aligned with societal values.

The image below outlines a comprehensive Equitable AI Framework, which highlights the interplay between users, technology, and governance. For AI to truly benefit city administrations, there must be a balance between these three components

• Users: Citizens and city employees should have access to AI-driven tools that improve their productivity and access to services. This democratisation ensures that no one is left behind as cities embrace AI.
• Technology: The confluence of AI, cloud computing, and open-source platforms is making AI technologies more accessible to cities of all sizes. It is critical that this technology is used responsibly and inclusively.
• Governance: Strong governance is essential to ensure that AI is implemented in a way that protects citizens’ rights, upholds accountability, and fosters trust. This governance framework needs to be both adaptable and forward-looking to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

 Adapted from: Gartner, 2024

In conclusion, the adoption of AI in city administration is more than just a technological shift; it represents a transformation in how cities operate, deliver services, and engage with citizens. From automating routine administrative tasks to enhancing decision-making and personalising public services, AI empowers public sector administrators to create smarter, more efficient cities.

Photos:

Image 1: European Commission. (2024). Shaping Europe’s digital future.
Image 2: Ia, E. (2020, January 14). El gobierno finlandés ha creado tres chatbots que ayudan a los extranjeros que quieren establecerse en Finlandia. Observatorio IA.
Image 3: Twin4Road – Straßen.NRW. (n.d.-b).
Image 4: Roach, A. (2020, October 8). AI cameras introduced in London to monitor social distancing and lockdown restrictions | London Evening Standard. The Standard.
Image 5: Garner, C. (2024). SmartCitiesWorld. Retrieved from AI to digital twins: trends you need to know about for 2024.