Life in a modern city can be both exhilarating and exhausting. From chaotic traffic jams and overcrowded streets to concerns about public safety and sustainability, urban life poses many challenges. However, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is helping us reimagine how cities can become smarter, more efficient, safer, and ultimately more enjoyable places to live.
At the forefront of the smart city revolution is the intersection of AI, 5G mobile networks, and edge computing. 5G provides ultra-fast data speeds and extremely low latency, while edge computing brings data processing and analysis capabilities closer to where data is generated, such as on city streets. This powerful combination enables a new class of AI-driven applications to make cities smarter.
One key application is intelligent traffic management powered by AI and 5G roadside units (RSUs). These compact computing devices can be installed at intersections to monitor traffic flow using connected cameras and sensors. With ultra-low latency 5G connectivity, the RSUs can share data in real time, dynamically adjust signal timings to reduce congestion, and even communicate directly with connected vehicles.
“These roadside units could monitor and sense if there is traffic,” explains Ashish Yadav, head of technical product marketing at CapGemini. “They can even sense if there is a pedestrian, so the autonomous vehicle can take action. They could ensure the signals are optimised to reduce congestion.”
In the Indian city of Hyderabad, an AI traffic management system analyses video data from thousands of cameras across the city. It can automatically detect violations like running red lights and identify congestion hotspots. By dynamically adjusting signal timings, Hyderabad has significantly improved traffic flow and reduced response times for emergency vehicles.
“We were able to improve first responder times to an average of around 8 minutes from 15-20 minutes previously,” says JVS Ramakrishna, a technology expert based in Hyderabad. “The safety parameters are so well monitored that crime rates have come down.”
Beyond just traffic optimisation, AI computer vision models analyse the video data to classify vehicle types and count them at each intersection. This provides real-time congestion insights to better plan transportation services and infrastructure projects.
AI is also enhancing public safety through predictive analytics that can detect anomalous behaviour and potential threats before incidents occur. In smart cities, integrated data from video cameras, sensors, social media, and other sources are fed into AI models that learn patterns and identify risks. Authorities can then proactively respond to mitigate dangers.
Karina Yadav points out another key benefit of AI-based systems: “The data, even when anonymised, can be used for analytics and fed into machine learning engines to generate new insights and enable more efficient use cases over time.”
While smart city AI applications deliver immense societal benefits, they also raise concerns about privacy and ethical use of data. Most experts emphasise the need for strong data governance policies that restrict the use of personal data while still allowing for model training on anonymised datasets.
“All the data captured at the edge is anonymised, with no personally identifying information,” explains Ramakrishna. “Once tickets are issued for violations, the data goes to secure data centres with the highest privacy controls.”
Looking ahead 10 years, AI and IoT technologies will play a pivotal role in developing sustainable smart cities that can adapt to urban population growth while conserving precious natural resources like water and energy. AI-optimised utility grids, autonomous transportation systems, and smart infrastructure monitoring will all become commonplace.
“The biggest challenge is going to be the limited resources on the planet,” says Ramakrishna. “I think sustainability is where we’ll spend a lot of time applying technology over the next decade.”
Yadav agrees, adding: “We’ll need to channel technology toward maximising efficiency so we can maintain quality of life while minimising consumption of energy, water and other resources.”
As urban populations continue growing, developing smarter and more sustainable cities has become an imperative for the 21st century. Thanks to rapid AI innovations combined with transformative technologies like 5G and edge computing, the smart city vision is now taking shape in metropolitan areas around the world. The smart city movement, powered by ethical AI systems that improve livability while prioritising sustainability, will make urban living safer, more efficient and drastically more intelligent in the years ahead.