Smart city systems are increasingly powered by AI operating across networks of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These systems process vast amounts of data in real time to support applications such as activity recognition, infrastructure monitoring, and urban mobility analysis. While these technologies promise improved efficiency and decision-making, they also introduce new challenges related to power consumption and sustainable computing.
A new study, titled “Understanding Energy Efficiency of AI Deployments in IoT-Driven Smart Cities”, published in IoT, examines how different hardware platforms perform when running AI workloads in edge computing environments and how these choices affect the overall energy efficiency of smart city deployments.
Familiarity with smart city technologies remains low across much of the population. Awareness varies sharply by application type. Highly visible technologies such as security cameras, smart bicycles, and pollution sensors are widely recognized, while systems designed to promote inclusion, such as mobility and navigation sensors for people with disabilities, are largely unfamiliar to most respondents. This uneven awareness reflects how certain technologies are embedded visibly in public space, while others remain hidden or poorly communicated.
Cities across Europe are accelerating investments in artificial intelligence, sensor networks, and data-driven infrastructure to manage traffic, energy, safety, and public services. Marketed as tools to make urban life more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive, smart city technologies are rapidly becoming embedded in everyday environments. Yet a new large-scale social science study finds that public enthusiasm for these technologies masks deep inequalities in awareness, access, and trust that could limit their legitimacy and long-term success.
The journey of Dubai’s transformation into one of the world’s smartest and most sustainable cities is underpinned by strategic, future-forward initiatives. At the vanguard of this digital evolution is Digital DEWA, the digital arm of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Born out of the ambitious Dubai 10X program, which aims to propel Dubai 10 years ahead of other global cities, Digital DEWA stands on four pillars: Solar Energy, Energy Storage, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Services. Providing the essential technological backbone to this group is its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) subsidiary, InfraX.
Pune, long known for its “Smart City” vision, is now making rapid strides toward becoming a true “Green City.” By reducing dependence on conventional electricity and harnessing rooftop solar energy, thousands of households have joined hands with the sun to generate clean, sustainable, and cost-free power.
The Prime Minister Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme has received overwhelming response in Pune, with 18,694 households installing rooftop solar panels. These projects have collectively generated 90.62 MW of electricity, while residents have also benefited from subsidies worth ₹151 crore. For many families, monthly power bills have dropped to zero, with surplus energy being sold back to the grid for additional income.
Have you heard of the concept of smart cities? That’s what Astana is trying to implement in Kazakhstan. This project consists of a city where cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence work together to make streets safer, traffic smoother, and public services more efficient. This city is leading the national rankings for smart urban technologies, and this new Astana project is a bold move that promises to transform daily life in the city by 2030. But what does this mean in practice for residents? Discover more about the impact of this technology.