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Smart Cities: Aligning Tech Efficiency with Social Justice

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Abstract

The concept of smart cities, which integrates advanced technologies into urban environments, holds the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for residents by promoting efficiency, connectivity, and sustainability. By leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart cities can provide better public services, improve infrastructure management, and foster innovative solutions to urban challenges. The focus should be on empowering citizens to retain control over the technologies that shape their surroundings, ensuring that technological advancements align with community values like transparency, solidarity, and equity. As cities evolve to become smarter, it is essential to maintain a balance between automation and human oversight to address complex public decision-making effectively. Emphasizing the well-being of residents, smart city initiatives should prioritize environmental sustainability, equitable resource distribution, and social inclusion. This approach can transform urban landscapes into spaces where technology serves as a tool for enhancing community life and promoting democratic participation, ultimately leading to more harmonious and resilient urban environments. By focusing on these positive aspects, smart cities can harness the transformative potential of AI and other technologies to create more inclusive, efficient, and vibrant urban spaces that truly benefit all citizens.

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Funding

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología Award No. 320285.

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A.V.-A. Designed research; A.V.-A., D.A.-V., I.R.I., and G.R.T. performed research; I.R.I. and G.R.T. analyzed data; A.V.-A. wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Alfonso Valenzuela-Aguilera.

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This article is part of the topical collection “Advanced Computing: Innovations and Applications” guest edited by Sanjay Madria, Parteek Bhatia, Priyanka Sharma and Deepak Garg.

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Valenzuela-Aguilera, A., Romero-Tecua, G., Aguilar-Velázquez, D. et al. Smart Cities: Aligning Tech Efficiency with Social Justice. SN COMPUT. SCI. 5, 997 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-024-03354-7

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