Cities of the future? The potential impact of artificial intelligence
Open accessAbstract
Artificial intelligence (AI), like many revolutionary technologies in human history, will have a profound impact on societies. From this viewpoint, we analyze the combined effects of AI to raise important questions about the future form and function of cities. Combining knowledge from computer science, urban planning, and economics while reflecting on academic and business perspectives, we propose that the future of cities is far from being a determined one and cities may evolve into ghost towns if the deployment of AI is not carefully controlled. This viewpoint presents a fundamentally different argument, because it expresses a real concern over the future of cities in contrast to the many publications who exclusively assume city populations will increase predicated on the neoliberal urban growth paradigm that has for centuries attracted humans to cities in search of work.
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The adoption rate of AI technology, coupled with policy regulations and unforeseen events, has the potential to transform bustling metropolises into deserted ghost cities.
“However, Kassens-Noor and Hintze [303] argue that the adoption rate of AI technology, coupled with policy regulations and unforeseen events, has the potential to transform bustling metropolises into deserted ghost cities.”
From Smarter eco-cities and their leading-edge artificial intelligence of things solutions for environmental sustainability: A comprehensive systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [303]
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- Authors
- Kassens-Noor, E., & Hintze, A.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Dalarna University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Kassens-Noor, Eva
- Venue
- AI
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-05-13
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 192-197
- ISSN
- 2673-2688 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3025140888
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 2.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- AI (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- TUbilio (Technical University of Darmstadt) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Media Technology › Smart Cities and Technologies
- Social Sciences › Urban Studies › Urban Planning and Governance
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
- Keywords
- artificial intelligence, future cities, urban planning, ghost towns, urban population decline, technology and society
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