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DISCUSSIONS: IT Trends Discussions & Directions Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Ring, Ecobee Thermostat, the list goes on. Most of these devices probably sound very familiar to you all, as they are some of the forefront "smart home" artificial intelligence agents. Smart spaces and smart homes are becoming more and more prevalent around the globe. In addition to these smaller spaces, smart cities are flourishing at an exponential rate. According to Forbes, "A smart city is one that leverages technology to increase efficiencies and improve the quality of services and life for its residents. Smart city initiatives can cover anything from power distribution, transport systems, street lights, and even rubbish collection. The idea is to use data and technology to make everyday life easier and better for the people who live and work in the city, while maximizing the use of resources" (2020). Some attributes of smart cities are: safety, security, financial sustainability, green environments, transit planning, citizen- participative local governments, information gathering, communication, and technology enabled public services. All of these aspects can contribute to making a city more efficient and productive.

Some of the "smartest" cities in the US include: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York City. Within these cities, you may find things such as Citi bikes, smart kiosks, street light sensors, stop light sensors, free public Wi-Fi, and soon... 5G networks. All of these things are possible thanks to what Forbes calls a "Perfect Storm" of technology trends. These trends consist of artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, and autonomous vehicles. One particular advancement that stands out to me is the ability to decrease crime in

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cities and make them safer. Real-time video cameras are set up all throughout Bourbon street in New Orleans to help Police detect crimes in the act. This helps to improve citizen safety, as well as boosting incident response times and recording evidence of the criminals. As the years go on, smart cities will only continue to develop. It will be interesting to see what comes next. My dad keeps telling me that one day we will no longer be driving cars ourselves, they will all be self-driving. Right now it is hard for me to picture that, but I'm sure he is correct. The possibilities of smart cities seem endless, and I am curious to hear what you guys think will come next! It is definitely interesting to think about! :)

Questions:

What role will artificial intelligence play in smart cities of the future? What are some dangers or challenges of smart cities? How can smart cities help to create a more sustainable future?

References:

Buntz, Brian. (2019). The smartest cities in the U.S. Retrieved from, https://www.americancityandcounty.com/2019/05/08/the-smartest- cities-in-the-u-s/.

Forbes. (2020). The smart cities of the future: 5 ways technology is changing our cities. Retrieved from, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/07/02/the-smart- cities-of-the-future-5-ways-technology-is-transforming-our- cities/#6fdf9ddf73f8.

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