Artificial Intelligence and smart cities through the looking glass: real-time application challenges

Currently, there are 3.6 billion people residing in urban areas, and it is projected that by 2050, 75% of the global population will be living in cities. This will result in approximately 80 billion interconnected devices by 2020i. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant global impact and disruption, prompting us to rethink the future of cities and consider the type of cities that can support humanity. In particular, armed conflicts and the aftermath of the pandemic raise important questions about the kind of cities needed in a predominantly urban world. How should we envision and reimagine the future of cities? What should our cities strive to become? What are the potential scenarios for growth and development? This study explores real-time applications and provides insights into the ongoing development of technology to support smart cities and create a better future in terms of outlook, systems, and services.