Trend Report Panel Discussion (21 May): Operating smarter: using digital twins and AI to reshape urban infrastructure management

Discover how AI-powered digital twins are transforming urban infrastructure and how these innovations can improve efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

Trend Report Webinar (19 May): How AI and data are transforming transport operations and services

Explore how data and AI are being used in urban transport networks to support planning, day-to-day operations, and improve outcomes for communities and passengers.

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 – 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.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Podcasts

How cities can own their data and their future with sovereign AISponsored by PNY Technologies

Tune into the SmartCitiesWorld podcast to understand the world of sovereign AI for cities, featuring PNY Technologies’ Youssef Nadiri as our expert guest.

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

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.

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 | Smart Cities News

Smart Cities News

Los Angeles launches urban air mobility programme

News18 Dec 2020

The strategy will help Los Angeles map out challenges identified by local, diverse stakeholders surrounding public airspace and property rights – and implement solutions to these issues.

WEF continues drive to make facial recognition tech more transparent

News14 Dec 2020

The forum has focused on FRT for passengers boarding aircraft and the toolkit’s questionnaire has been tested by Tokyo-Narita Airport, which will encourage other airports to adopt this framework.

36 cities chosen to chart a course towards the future

Demographic change18 Nov 2020

The World Economic Forum has chosen the cities to pioneer a global policy roadmap developed by its G20 Smart Cities Alliance for the ethical and responsible use of data and technology.

Standards report assesses the current state of blockchain

News15 Oct 2020

Key insights highlighted in the report include blockchain technology’s fragmentation both worldwide and within jurisdictions, overlaps, gaps, as well as conflicts in standard-setting.

Action needed to get the clean energy transition back on track

News13 May 2020

Unprecedented disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic risks cancelling out recent progress unless there is urgent action at national, regional and global levels.

Blockchain tool aims to tackle supply chain failures exposed by Covid-19

News29 Apr 2020

The toolkit launched by the World Economic Forum aims to bring more transparency, trust and resilience to supply chains by offering a "shared truth".

WEF helps governments scale up the circular economy

News07 Nov 2019

Scale 360 aims to harness the potential of technology innovation and smart policy to fast-track the circular economy through nationally led challenges.

Dubai approves three blockchain initiatives

News20 Aug 2019

Dubai Future Council for Blockchain event brought together various government departments and private companies with a vested interest in smart city technologies.

WEF provides cities with a pick-and-mix mobility framework

News22 Jul 2019

The Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility Governance Framework is a set of sustainable mobility guidelines aimed at helping cities reduce congestion and pollution.

Measuring the value of blockchain

News17 Jul 2019

The World Economic Forum and Accenture have designed a framework and visual roadmap with key questions to ask when building a blockchain business case.

World Economic Forum to lead global smart cities alliance

News02 Jul 2019

The alliance will unite municipal, regional and national governments as well as private sector partnerships and citizens around a shared set of guiding principles on tech governance.

WEF inaugurates global councils to restore trust in technology

News03 Jun 2019

The Global Fourth Industrial Revolution councils will work together to develop policy guidance and address governance gaps in areas such as AI, IoT and blockchain.

World needs "coalition of the willing" to counter cyber threats

News24 Jan 2019

Cyber-security experts at Davos hope those democracies that have not signed the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace will join the multi-stakeholder initiative

Global smart cities initiative launched at Davos