From smart city to artificial intelligence city. Envisaging the future of urban planning

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Urban planning, Smart city, Complex systems

Abstract

The paper emphasizes the need to advance both theoretical and methodological understandings to reflect the theoretical-methodological evolution of urban planning, considering the vast potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Specifically, the paper aims to chart an innovative path for the discipline of urban planning by adopting a systemic approach to studying urban phenomena and envisioning how the intentional integration of AI can lead to a completely new way of managing urban transformation. The study seeks to provide a fresh perspective on AI's potential impact, especially within fields overseeing urban and territorial changes. It begins with an analysis of the relationship between technological innovation and urban transformation, which is crucial today due to the opportunities AI presents. The paper particularly focuses on the relationships among urban sub-systems, which are essential for city survival. Historically, from the inception of urban planning to the rise of smart cities, the integration of technology and urban environments often lacked a cohesive theoretical framework to guide the deliberate adoption of technological innovations. The primary aim of the paper is to highlight the urgent need to build a theoretical and disciplinary foundation that recognizes AI's creative capacity and effectively utilizes its capabilities to design sustainable future urban configurations in harmony with existing resources.

 

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Author Biographies

Romano Fistola, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

Architect, Full Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at DICEA, University of Naples “Federico II”. His main research interests, developed over more than thirty years of scientific activity, are related to the study of the relationship between technological innovation and urban and territorial transformations, the interpretation of the city as a dynamically complex system, and the urban transformations induced by the climate crisis. In recent years, he has also focused on the possibility of envisioning urban transformation through the use of augmented and extended reality, as well as on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on the functional and socio-anthropic systems of human settlements.

Rosa Anna La Rocca, Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II

Architect, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at DICEA, University of Naples “Federico II”. Her research activities refer to the analysis of phenomena that can change the urban organization and they are focused on the study of three main relationships: tourism and town planning; land use and mobility, innovation technologies and urban transformations.

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Published
2024-12-31
How to Cite
FistolaR., & La RoccaR. A. (2024). From smart city to artificial intelligence city. Envisaging the future of urban planning. TeMA - Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, 17(3), 411-422. https://doi.org/10.6093/1970-9870/11081