Webinar (29 Sept): How data and AI support better decisions to bolster city operations

SmartCitiesWorld webinar will explore how local authorities can strengthen workforce decision-making by combining unified data, agentic AI and secure digital foundations.

OnDemand Panel Discussion: Resilient infrastructure – planning, prioritising and protecting critical assets

In this SmartCitiesWorld Summit 2026 virtual panel discussion, discover how cities can move towards a more strategic, risk-based approach to infrastructure resilience.

SmartCitiesWorld Summit 2026: connecting climate action, resilience and urban innovation

As cities confront the combined pressures of climate change, infrastructure resilience and digital transformation, the SmartCitiesWorld Summit 2026 will bring together urban leaders and partners during London Climate Action Week to explore how these agendas intersect – and how cities can translate strategy into practical action.

How AI cities shape Malaysia’s digital future – and the role of the region’s first Smart City ExpoSponsored by Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur

Discover how Malaysia is leading the way in AI-powered urban innovation at the first Southeast Asian Smart City Expo in Kuala Lumpur.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Singapore

Find out how the island city-state of Singapore is further building its reputation as one of the smartest nations in the world in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sunderland

Find out how Sunderland is repositioning itself as a leading smart city – using digital infrastructure and low-carbon innovation to build a resilient, future-focused economy in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

Podcasts

Podcast: Tracking the journey from smart cities to AI cities (part two)

Re-join our in-depth conversation with Professor Jung Hoon Lee, exploring how AI is moving from pilots to real-world impact in cities worldwide.

Podcast: Tracking the journey from smart cities to AI cities (part one)

Professor Jung Hoon Lee joins the SmartCitiesWorld Podcast to talk the latest Global Smart City Index, the emerging “AI super gap” between cities, and why the next phase of urban innovation depends on data platforms, AI-ready infrastructure, and effective governance.

Opinions

Transforming indoor public safety with smart sensor networksSponsored by Motorola Solutions

How smart sensor networks can help improve indoor safety by detecting risks early, improving situational awareness and supporting healthier, more secure and sustainable buildings.

How AI will define cities and mobility in 2026Sponsored by ST Engineering

Gareth Tang, President of Urban Solutions at ST Engineering, explains how urban AI applications are set to evolve, detailing projects where AI is already making significant impact.

Home | City Lights

City Lights

City Lights is a Q&A series where we ask city leaders and experts a series of questions across a range of topics. If you would like to contribute and you work for a city authority then please contact our editor Luke Antoniou on lukea@smartcitiesworld.net

How sensors and digital twins are shaping Geelong smart priorities

How sensors and digital twins are shaping Geelong smart priorities

Digital twins15 Jun 2023

Adam Mowlam, head of the smart city office for the city of Greater Geelong, explains how digital technology, including IoT sensors and digital twins, are supporting decision-makers and local initiatives to improve liveability for citizens – and even wildlife.

22 - 26 June 2026: Find out more

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Singapore

Smart Cities Reports

Find out how the island city-state of Singapore is further building its reputation as one of the smartest nations in the world in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report: The impact of AI and data on transportation operations and services

Trend Series

Delve into how cities are addressing the challenges of building intelligent transport systems and using AI and data to transform operations and user experience.

Latest Summit Speakers
(22-26 June)

Sherelle Fairweather

Digital Strategy Lead

Manchester’s Digital Strategy

Find out more

Liz St Louis

Smart City Director

Sunderland City Council

Find out more

Julie Foley OBE

Director of Flood Risk Strategy & Adaptation

Environment Agency

Find out more

Mark Wheeler

CIO

Montgomery County

Find out more

Lord Marvin Rees OBE

Former Mayor

Bristol City Council

Find out more

Cllr Susan Aitken

Leader

Glasgow City Council

Find out more

John Moran

Mayor

Limerick City and County Council

Find out more

Matjaž Rakovec

Mayor

City of Kranj

Find out more

Erin Mendenhall

Mayor

Salt Lake City

Find out more

Julia King

The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS

House of Lords

Find out more

Latest Webinar

Webinar (29 Sept): How data and AI support better decisions to bolster city operations

Webinars

SmartCitiesWorld webinar will explore how local authorities can strengthen workforce decision-making by combining unified data, agentic AI and secure digital foundations.

Latest Podcast

Podcast: Tracking the journey from smart cities to AI cities (part two)

Podcasts

Re-join our in-depth conversation with Professor Jung Hoon Lee, exploring how AI is moving from pilots to real-world impact in cities worldwide.

Latest Urban Exchange Podcast

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 32 – Flood and energy resilience in Quezon City

Urban Exchange Podcast

Tune in for the latest Urban Exchange where we get a first-hand account of city resilience measures from Quezon City following unexpected extreme rainfall.

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Most Popular

Wellington introduces travel insights data dashboard

Zero-emission car clubs expand across Wales

UK’s first Tech Town trains up residents in AI

Dubai launches manual to help shape greener public spaces

Singapore launches standard for data centres

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Interview: Jason Sankey, Chief Information Officer, City of Atlanta

Interview: Jason Sankey, Chief Information Officer, City of Atlanta

City Lights04 Aug 2022

Luke Antoniou talks to City of Atlanta’s CIO about staying resilient, climate action and why every smart initiative must begin by focusing on the opportunities of citizens and what they need from technology.

Environment, economy and society – how Portland, ME puts sustainability front and centre

Environment, economy and society – how Portland, ME puts sustainability front and centre

Climate action14 Feb 2022

Troy Moon, sustainability coordinator for the City of Portland, Maine, details the city’s approach to sustainability, including engaging with citizens, making equitable and inclusive climate action a community activity and collaboration across city government.

Podcast: In conversation with Monica Barone, CEO, City of Sydney

Podcast: In conversation with Monica Barone, CEO, City of Sydney

Special Reports01 Feb 2022

The first episode of the SmartCitiesWorld podcast for 2022 take a deep dive into Sydney’s world-leading environmental strategy with city CEO, Monica Barone.

Interview: Theo Blackwell MBE, Chief Digital Officer for London

Interview: Theo Blackwell MBE, Chief Digital Officer for London

City Lights20 Oct 2021

London’s chief digital officer, Theo Blackwell MBE, tells SmartCitiesWorld how the city’s Emerging Technology Charter is empowering businesses, local politicians, and communities to ask the right questions about next-gen technology.

Eduard Lysenko: Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of the Department of Information Technologies

Eduard Lysenko: Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of the Department of Information Technologies

City Lights26 Aug 2021

Eduard Lysenko is a driving force behind Moscow’s smart city journey. He explains why cities must develop beyond being simply an administrative machine and into a partner and helper to the citizen.

City Lights: Michael Guerin, Programme Manager, Smart Docklands

City Lights: Michael Guerin, Programme Manager, Smart Docklands

City Lights05 Apr 2021

On being an ’honest broker’, avoiding death by pilot and data driven smart cities.

City Lights: Liz St Louis, Sunderland City Council

City Lights: Liz St Louis, Sunderland City Council

City Lights27 Oct 2020

Liz St Louis, Assistant Director for Smart Cities at Sunderland City Council, on the importance of connectivity for all, engaging with kids, and snoring dogs.

City Lights: Piero Pelizzaro, Milan's Chief Resilience Officer

City Lights: Piero Pelizzaro, Milan's Chief Resilience Officer

City Lights29 Sep 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Piero Pelizzaro, Chief Resilience Officer of Milan, about the city’s digital transition, urban forests and the ongoing woes of a football fan.

City Lights: Thomas Madreiter, Director of Urban Planning, City of Vienna

City Lights: Thomas Madreiter, Director of Urban Planning, City of Vienna

City Lights17 Aug 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Thomas Madreiter, Director of Urban Planning, City of Vienna, about the city’s climate change focused strategy and how the term "smart cities" should be replaced with "sensible cities".

City Lights: Ahmed bin Saeed Al Sayyah, General Manager of Ras Al Khaimah Electronic Government Authority

City Lights: Ahmed bin Saeed Al Sayyah, General Manager of Ras Al Khaimah Electronic Government Authority

City Lights03 Aug 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Ahmed bin Saeed Al Sayyah, General Manager of Ras Al Khaimah Electronic Government Authority

City Lights: Peter Dommermuth, head of office, Environmental Agency, City of Frankfurt

City Lights: Peter Dommermuth, head of office, Environmental Agency, City of Frankfurt

City Lights20 Jul 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Peter Dommermuth, Head of office, Environmental Agency, City of Frankfurt, about placing technology at the heart of its green strategy

City Lights: Mark Patton. Vice President, Smart Cities, Columbus Partnership

City Lights: Mark Patton. Vice President, Smart Cities, Columbus Partnership

City Lights07 Feb 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Mark Patton, vice president, Smart Cities, Columbus Partnership, about the Ohio city’s journey so far.

City Lights: Dr Chen-Yu Lee, Director, Taipei Smart City Project Management Office

City Lights: Dr Chen-Yu Lee, Director, Taipei Smart City Project Management Office

City Lights31 Jan 2020

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Dr Chen-Yu Lee, director of Taipei Smart City Project Management Office.

City Lights: Lea Eriksen, CIO, City of Long Beach

City Lights: Lea Eriksen, CIO, City of Long Beach

City Lights25 Nov 2019

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Long Beach’s CIO, Lea Eriksen.

City Lights: Gunnar Edwin Crawford, Head of Stavanger Smart City

City Lights: Gunnar Edwin Crawford, Head of Stavanger Smart City

City Lights24 Oct 2019

SmartCitiesWorld talks to Gunnar Edwin Crawford about his role as head of Stavanger Smart City, Stavanger kommune in Norway

City Lights: Laura Robertson-Collins, Climate Champion, Liverpool

City Lights: Laura Robertson-Collins, Climate Champion, Liverpool

City Lights30 Jul 2019

Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool’s first ’Climate Champion’, talks to SmartCitiesWorld about her new role and its remit.

City Lights: Sabrina Dorsainvil, Director of Civic Design, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, Boston

City Lights: Sabrina Dorsainvil, Director of Civic Design, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, Boston

City Lights10 May 2019

SmartCitiesWorld finds out more about the role of a civic designer and Boston’s Office of New Urban Mechanics.

City Lights: Khal Asfour, Mayor, City of Canterbury Bankstown, New South Wales

City Lights: Khal Asfour, Mayor, City of Canterbury Bankstown, New South Wales

City Lights25 Apr 2019

Khal Asfour, Mayor for the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, talks to SmartCitiesWorld about the importance of consulting the community at the start of a smart city journey.

Most Popular

Sensor networks are driving the creation of connected city ecosystems

Analysis by Frost & Sullivan reveals how digitisation and advancements in Internet of Things are driving the large-scale adoption of sensor technologies for the development of smart cities.

What is ‘Smart City’ and why do we need them?

Smart city is the framework based on Information and Communication technologies that enable the development of sustainable practices to address the urbanisation challenges. Leveraging the technology is one of the foremost pillars of ‘smart cities’ in order to increase efficiencies and improve the quality of resident’s life and the city’s services.

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.