The Coming Age of the Smart City

Abstract

The early 21st century is the time of disruptive technologies. Uber, a software company, is now the world's largest taxi service. Airbnb, another software company, is now the world's largest hotel company. Amazon.comand Ali Baba, both essentially dot.comcompanies, are the largest retailers. It thus should not come as a huge surprise that broadband, AI and IT systems are now poised to disrupt conventional ideas as to how to plan for, operate, invest in, and even re-invent the concept of what is called a `smart city.' These powerful new digital technologies are strangely suited to being economically, socially and politically disruptive to every aspect of society---including urban life and city planning in contemporary times.