Intelligent Cities

Can technology create fairer urban environments?

Cities are getting smarter. But who are they getting smarter for?

Across the world, technology is reshaping how cities operate. Connected infrastructure, digital data systems, AI-enabled buildings and new energy networks promise cities that are more efficient, sustainable and responsive to the needs of their residents.

But the idea of the “smart city” often raises as many questions as it answers.

• Who owns the data that powers these systems?

• How will smarter infrastructure reshape housing, transport and energy?

• And will the benefits of innovation be shared widely across communities, or concentrated in a few developments and districts?

For Greater Manchester, these questions are more pertinent than ever. That’s why the region is already exploring how technology could transform the way its urban areas function.

This Construct event will bring together voices from across development, infrastructure, housing, policy and academia to explore how technology could shape the next generation of cities.

The discussion will examine what technological transformation actually means in practice, putting everything from energy generation and data governance to community engagement and economic opportunity under the microscope.

It’s one challenge to make cities more intelligent. It’s another to ensure that intelligence work for everyone.