Cities worldwide band together to push for ethical AI

From traffic control and waste management to biometric surveillance systems and predictive policing models, the potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in cities are incredibly diverse, and could impact every aspect of urban life. In response to the increasing deployment of AI in cities – and the general lack of authority that municipal governments have to challenge central government decisions or legislate themselves – London, Barcelona and Amsterdam launched the Global Observatory on Urban AI in June 2021. The initiative aims to monitor AI deployment trends and promote its ethical use, and is part of the wider Cities Coalition for Digital Rights (CC4DR), which was set up in November 2018 by Amsterdam, Barcelona and New York to promote and defend digital rights. It now has more than 50 cities participating worldwide. Apart from city participants, the Observatory is also being run in partnership with UN-Habitat, a United Nations initiative to improve the quality of life in urban areas, and research group CIDOB-Barcelona Centre for International Affairs.