Urban Artificial Intelligence: A Guidebook for Understanding Concepts and Technologies

Tan Yigitcanlar offers a comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence’s (AI) role in shaping modern cities. This volume delves into how AI‑driven analytics and big data provide city planners with deeper insights, enabling more informed decision‑making. These insights lead to more efficient resource use, improved public services, and better infrastructure management.

In the digital age, AI is revolutionising various sectors, fundamentally altering our approach to problem‑solving and innovation. AI’s transformative power spans industries from healthcare to finance, and now, it is poised to redefine urban planning and development. Urban areas, as the epicentres of human activity and progress, face myriad challenges such as population growth, resource management, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure development. Traditional methods often fall short in addressing these complexities, making the integration of AI an essential frontier. Comprising seven extensive and insightful chapters, this volume bridges the gap between the theoretical potential and practical implementation of AI in urban contexts. It covers foundational concepts of urban AI, examines its applications across different domains, and explores how AI can improve urban life through smarter home technologies and personalised public services.

This first volume is complemented by Urban Artificial Intelligence: A Guidebook for Understanding Perceptions and Ethics, which delves into the ethical and perceptual dimensions of AI in urban settings. Together, these volumes provide a holistic view of urban artificial intelligence, offering essential insights for urban planners, policymakers, researchers, and anyone interested in the intersection of AI and urban development.

Tan Yigitcanlar is a globally renowned Australian researcher and author in urban studies, technology, and planning, and was acknowledged as one of the top 1% of scientists worldwide by Clarivate in 2023. He serves as Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Queensland University of Technology’s School of Architecture and Built Environment in Brisbane, Australia.