Green: In adopting AI, cities risk repeating mistakes

From AI-assisted zoning in Los Angeles to AI-enabled recycle bins in Raleigh, artificial intelligence is becoming a key part in how cities deliver services. It promises greater efficiency, but questions linger about privacy, oversight and whether the technology truly meets community needs. 

University of Michigan assistant professor Ben Green, an expert on smart cities and author of “The Smart Enough City,” says city leaders should be cautious of quickly adopting technologies that sound appealing but lack proven benefits for residents. 

In an interview with Politico, Green warns that the current trends harken back to 2016, when smart city trends were “massively oversold to tech companies.” 

“When I hear mayors and city leaders talk about AI, I feel like I’m living in 2016 again,” said Green. “There are lots of lessons to be learned.”

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Read “AI powers a new smart-city wave” on Politico. 

Learn more about UMSI assistant professor Ben Green by visiting his UMSI faculty profile.