November 3, 2021 12:00 pm
Speaker: Ben Green
Smart cities, where technology is used to solve every problem, are hailed as futuristic urban utopias. We are promised that apps, algorithms, and artificial intelligence will relieve congestion, restore democracy, prevent crime, and improve public services. However, there are many dangers to seeing the city only through the lens of technology. Taking an exclusively technical view of urban life will lead to cities that appear smart but under the surface are rife with injustice and inequality. I propose instead that cities strive to be “smart enough”: to embrace technology as a powerful tool when used in conjunction with other forms of social change — but not to value technology as an end in itself.
Here is the Zoom link to attend.