⁠Urban governance and Smart Cities: Using AI to boost quality

Abstract

A smart city is an area having urban projects that use AI and machine learning-based solutions to manage infrastructure efficiently and sustainably, such as in the optimization of waste collection routes and reducing carbon emissions by transport that ferries waste etc. Similarly, urban services, production, and economies can also be managed by MIS and AI tools. Studies in the Saudi context on such applications are negligible. Thus, the present study aims to address this gap. The research questions center around the role of AI integration in smart cities to enhance MIS for better urban management and business management, and governance. Further, case studies from across the globe are included to explore how urban production systems can be optimized with AI, also applying the model to two urban centers in the Saudi context. Lastly, the study examines the barriers in ensuring the effectiveness of AI in the ecosystems of smart cities. The study adopts a mixed methods approach. The data were collected data from two cities in the country and collated from municipal MIS data for energy and traffic. Focus group discussion with a convenience sample of end users comprising teachers and students at Qassim University adds other dimensions to the findings. Efficiency outcomes are analyzed alongside thematic analysis to identify administrative and governance challenges.