How AI will transform smart cities: glimpse into the future

Smart houses have come off the pages of your favorite sci-fi novel and became a reality. Today we can take advantage of thermostats, which know when we are near and change the temperature in the house according to our preferences. Our robotic vacuum cleaners know when we are away to start cleaning the house. The lights know when to go on and off. And much more.

Smart cities aren’t too far behind. The data which is being collected from numerous electronic devices using IoT, allows traffic regulation, efficient resource management, water supply adjustments, and much more. Smart cities are developing every day becoming more convenient and efficient. AI is bound to transform them even further. We asked the experts from Kansas City Tech Company Tricension to comment on the AI’s impact on the smart cities in the future.

1. Finding A Free Parking Spot

Artificial intelligence can collect data about traffic and transportation routes to help people find an available parking spot fast.

If you’ve ever driven around the neighborhood for 15 minutes trying to find an available parking space, you know all about energy waste and environmental pollution. Imagine how much time, money, and fuel you’d save if your gadget would guide you to a free parking space immediately upon arrival.

AI will use sensors and cameras to help single out the parking spot, which is closest to your destination.

2. Riding The Right Bus

Did you ever spend more than 20 minutes waiting for the bus? Or, even worse, ran after the bus, which has just left your stop? You know how much time and money you’ve wasted by not knowing the bus’s arrival time. Meanwhile, the buses drive around with fewer passengers than they could take, wasting fuel in the process.

Artificial intelligence and the the Internet of Things can help collect data about the bus schedule and the seating availability. You could use an app telling you when the next bus is about to arrive, helping you make plans accordingly.

3. Weather Forecasting

Of course, weather forecasting is not an exact science. However, it’s possible to predict what would happen in the nearest future. Citizens can greatly benefit from timely warnings about weather problems on their route. This is especially important for regions that are often hit by hurricanes or snowstorms.

Artificial intelligence can help collect information about incoming weather problems and alert the citizens, thus reducing accidents on the roads. Such timely warnings can save lives. The role of AI in weather forecasting is small. It’s goal is to catch the right information and route it to the right users at the right time.

4. Optimized Scheduling

Large companies and organization can benefit from AI’s ability to collect information in order to create optimized schedules. For example, AI can help draft a schedule for nurses and other medical workers in a large hospital. When handled by a computer, the schedules save time and keep everyone’s preferences in mind, thus optimizing the work process.

GPS-tracking and cloud based computing can help with creating optimized schedules for planes and trains.

AI can also help with optimal schedules of such workers as street cleaners and garbage removers. Using the information about citizens’ preferences and heavy traffic times can help create an optimized schedule for many areas.

5. Electronic Identity

In the future, AI can allow us to use our electronic identity to execute numerous tasks in the city. People won’t need to carry wallets anymore. A built-in chip will contain all the necessary information, such as birthdate (for buying alcohol or entering nightclubs), license number (for police officers), credit card number (to make purchases), and much more.

AI will control which information is displayed to which user. For example, a vendor won’t see your birthdate unless you are buying a beer or the police officer won’t have access to your credit card number when writing a ticket.

Such e-identity will save a formidable amount of time for everyone involved in transactions that need identification.

Privacy and digital exclusion are currently a concern. However, in the future artificial intelligence is bound to solve the problem by handling and routing huge amounts of information connected to the e-identity function.

6. Lack Of Traffic

In the future, AI will help cities get rid of traffic jams completely. The roads will be equipped with sensors creating the optimized map and route for each individual. With time, such an approach is bound to bring traffic-free roads to every city.

7. Increased Security

In the future, artificial intelligence technologies will learn how to predict crime. They will process drone footage to spot the crime and prevent it. Such information collection will also help find criminals. Coupled with face recognition technologies and e-identity database, crime-solving rate will soar through the roof.

A fully computerized crime detection system will take human bias out of the equation, improving the crime-fighting stats. At the same time, improved speech analysis software can help the security guards single out suspicious behavior and predict numerous crimes.