The Smart Cities Revolution

Right now, more than half of the world’s population is living in cities and the concept of Smart Cities is growing in prominence in the digital economy.

While urban development has had to adapt to the population demands this has frequently proved to be random, uncoordinated and generally considered inadequate. Over the last four decades, Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are increasingly integrated into urban infrastructures, leading to the rapid development of Smart Cities. 

Smart Cities have can offer a variety of benefits with the potential to revolutionise people’s lives. These include increasing electronic connectivity, economic efficiency, reducing cost and decreasing environmental output.  The Smart City concept is, however, still in its infancy and is heavily reliant on technologies like IoT, mass transport systems, utilities and other infrastructure which are likely to prove vulnerable to cyber attackers and criminals.

One  outstanding problem concerns the social and organisational aspects of Smart Cities security, resulting from competing interests of different parties, high levels of interdependence and social and political complexity. 

Some academics have talked about the rapid rise of the IoT in grand terms as a Fourth Industrial Revolution, after steam, electricity, and of course, computers. While this might be premature, there’s no doubt that this pioneering technology is going to affect almost all aspects of our lives in cities and other urban areas. 

A study from consulting firm McKinsey study suggested that there are three layers that intertwine to make a Smart City function. 

  • The technological base consists of smartphones and sensor-equipped devices producing data and connecting to high-speed communication networks. 
  • Computers process the data to deliver workable solutions for specific problems. 
  • The general public interacts with these technologies, and all of the applications of Smart City technologies depend on individuals simultaneously using them and providing data to generate predictions.

The Importance Of Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the context of Smart Cities may be used to process personal data, such as delivering and monitoring the use of power in homes, monitoring traffic movements, serving relevant adverts based on geo-location to potential consumers moving around the urban landscape. It may also include the use of facial recognition to track and monitor people moving around public spaces, for both safety and personalisation reasons.

When AI is processing personal data, there are a number of critical issues to do with privacy and data governance.

There may also be issues  regarding the fairness and reliability of the algorithm. For example, with facial recognition technologies deployed for policing and public safety, the dataset for training the technology must have a sufficiently broad range of different demographics represented within it, so that it would correctly identify people of different racial and ethnic origins, rather than one particular ethnic group more reliably.

Whilst there are risks inherent in deploying AI, the advantages will mean that both developers and purchasers of Smart City technologies will want to understand how to solve those risks so that they can reap the benefits of being able to better use and understand their data.

For many cities around the world, the journey towards adopting smart solutions is still in its early stages. Most current initiatives are characterised by a narrow focus and isolated approach, however, it is known that smart solutions can reduce crime rates, improve people’s health, reduce time spent in traffic, save lives, reduce water and energy consumption, optimise waste collection and reduce the environmental impact caused by a city. 

Smart City technologies promise to revolutionise the way we live in our urban areas and organisations in both the public sector procuring these systems and in the private sector developing them, will need to take account of the unique implications of this new technology and navigate the data privacy and AI risks.

With so much potential, it is imperative that the right policies are put in place to bring us the cities of the future as soon as possible. 

InTechnologySmart Cities:    De Montford University:      I-HLS:      Leeds University:   McKinsey:

ITProportal:   Business Going Digital

You Might Also Read: 

Securing Smart Cities Using AI:

 

« NATO Publishes An Artificial Intelligence Strategy
US Bans Selling Spyware »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

Syxsense

Syxsense

Syxsense brings together endpoint management and security for greater efficiency and collaboration between IT management and security teams.

Cyber Security Supplier Directory

Cyber Security Supplier Directory

Our Supplier Directory lists 6,000+ specialist cyber security service providers in 128 countries worldwide. IS YOUR ORGANISATION LISTED?

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

CYRIN

CYRIN

CYRIN® Cyber Range. Real Tools, Real Attacks, Real Scenarios. See why leading educational institutions and companies in the U.S. have begun to adopt the CYRIN® system.

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Gartner insights into How to Select the Right ZTNA offering. Download this FREE report for a limited time only.

Code Decode Labs

Code Decode Labs

Code Decode Labs provides consulting for IT Technology, Cyber Security, Advanced Defense & Policing Technologies, Intelligent Networks, and Information Security.

Navista

Navista

Navista's hardware and software modules are especially designed to ease the deployment of secure networks.

SafeBreach

SafeBreach

SafeBreach's platform simulates hacker breach methods across the entire kill chain to identify breach scenarios in your environment before an attacker does.

NSW Cyber Security Innovation Node

NSW Cyber Security Innovation Node

NSW Cyber Security Innovation Node is part of a national network designed to foster and accelerate cyber capability and innovation across Australia.

Blockchain Research Institute (BRI)

Blockchain Research Institute (BRI)

Blockchain Research Institute (BRI) is an independent, global think-tank. We bring together the world’s top global researchers to undertake ground-breaking research on blockchain technology.

Secmation

Secmation

Secmation are an agile engineering services firm providing advanced DoD level security design and consultation services for both commercial and defense hardware and software applications.

Talon Cyber Security

Talon Cyber Security

Talon delivers the leading enterprise browser designed to bring security to managed and unmanaged devices, regardless of location, device type or operating system.

North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC)

North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC)

The North East Business Resilience Centre is a non-profit organisation here to support businesses in the North East of England in protecting themselves from cyber crimes and fraud.

MDSec

MDSec

MDSec is a consultancy with a passion for information security. Our consultants specialise in application, mobile and hardware security and targeted red team attacks.

Dazz

Dazz

Dazz is the cloud security remediation platform for smart security and development teams.

SafetyDetectives

SafetyDetectives

SafetyDetectives mission is to give our readers accurate and valuable information so they can make informed decisions about staying safe, secure and protected on the internet.

DataSolutions

DataSolutions

DataSolutions is a leading value-added distributor of transformational IT solutions in the UK and Ireland.

Banyax

Banyax

Banyax provides 24×7 real-time Cyber Defense Center Services using the latest technology tools to provide state-of-the-art defense.

Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS)

Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS)

We help businesses manage their technology. Intelligent Technical Solutions provide you with the right technical solution, so you can get back to running your business.

Segra

Segra

Segra owns and operates one of the nation’s largest fiber networks and provides best-in-class broadband and data security solutions throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Xact IT Solutions

Xact IT Solutions

Xact IT Solutions are a certified cybersecurity firm offering cybersecurity, compliance and managed services.