Human-centered technology: 5 key insights from Day 3 at the Smart City Expo World Congress

This year’s edition of the world’s leading event on cities and innovation concludes today after three days of dynamic exchanges on our shared urban future. As cities prepare for a time when 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, the message remains clear: people and their diverse needs must be at the heart of every Smart City vision. People are the foundation of urban life, the reason cities exist, and the key to ensuring they continue to be catalysts of well-being, sustainable opportunities and economic dynamism.

As we close the final day of the Smart City Expo World Congress , let’s reflect on the insights shared in Barcelona about shaping future smart cities that truly serve people. Ready to join us?

➡️ 1 | From technology to people: the evolution of smart cities

Smart cities have been evolving since we started curating the Smart City Expo World Congress , and international actors have come to the conclusion that there is a need to fill global normative gaps. With this goal in mind, UN-Habitat was requested by the 193 Un Member States to initiate a process to develop a series of International Guidelines on People-centred Smart Cities. Among the expert advisors for the development of the guidelines we can find Dr.-Ing. Alanus von Radecki from Germany, who conducted the session at the congress today, and Professor LEE JUNG HOON , Smart City expert from Seoul.

📣 2 | Introducing the Smart Cities Index 2024

Yonsei University 's Professor LEE JUNG HOON took the stage again today to present the 4th edition of the Smart Cities Index, which provides invaluable insights based on analysis of cities from all around the world. Among the key findings of the 2024 edition:

• Sustainability is shifting from an infrastructure and project-based focus, to a service and citizen participation approach.
• Barcelona, Seoul and Taipei are leading in infrastructure integration within the digital transformation.
• Smart cities have become a central focus in urban planning, with functions increasingly integrating digitalization, innovation and planning.

💦 3 | Do you know how much water consumes chatting with ChatGPT?

Dr Stephanie Hare , author, broadcaster and researcher, delved into the sustainability challenges faced by AI. According to her, the environmental cost of AI is one of the biggest kept secrets, but did you know that…

Every time someone has a conversation with ChatGPT of around 20 to 50 questions and answers, the chatbot needs to "drink" 500 ml of water?

🌇 4 | Data provides clues, but cities must determine the how

Nearly a decade after the Paris Agreement, citizens worldwide are grappling with the accelerating impacts of climate change, from record-high temperatures to an increased risk of natural disasters—as seen recently in southwestern Spain. How can cities adapt to this rapidly evolving reality while keeping people at the heart of their strategies? In a session led by our Consulting Director, Raul Daussa , global city officials and industry leaders shared insights, emphasizing the need for integrated, human-centered approaches that go beyond technology. Because, as Thaís Fontenelle Siqueira , Urban Projects Lead at Lobelia Earth , noted, “Data gives us what are the risks and where are the risks, but cities need to bring the how to tackle the issue”.

💪🏽 5 | From citizens as consumers to city creators

There is a consensus on wanting a future of smart cities that put people at the center, but what role should citizens play in designing and operating these cities? The final congress session we highlight this year addressed this crucial question, moderated by our consultant, Clàudia Gomis Lleal . Representatives from Malaysia, Georgia (US) and Amsterdam shared successful initiatives that have fostered a more collaborative and participatory approach to city-making. Francien Huizing Program Director at Amsterdam InChange | formerly known as Amsterdam Smart City , emphasized how the Netherlands' largest city is adopting an active approach that enables the establishment of energy cooperatives and municipal sharing mobility initiatives, moving towards a future where citizens transition “from consumers to city creators.”

And that’s a wrap for this year’s event! We look forward to seeing you all again in Barcelona for the 2025 edition—from November 4th to 6th—to continue building more sustainable, inclusive, and dynamic cities together. Thank you for joining us!