From information to action: the role of data and artificial intelligence in building safer and more sustainable cities.
*By Daniel Luis Notari
In recent years, extreme weather events have ceased to be the exception and have become part of the daily life of many Brazilian cities. Floods, landslides, droughts, heat waves, and supply problems impact entire families, public services, and the local economy. Given this, an essential question arises: how can we prepare our cities to face these challenges in a smarter and more humane way?
One of the answers lies in the responsible use of data and artificial intelligence. Every day, our cities produce a huge amount of data collected from health records, education records, mobility data, social services, environmental measurements, as well as data captured by sensors, applications, and digital platforms. When this data is organized, analyzed, and transformed into knowledge, it helps to better understand problems and plan solutions more efficiently.
Analysis tools and artificial intelligence allow, for example, the identification of areas most vulnerable to flooding, the monitoring of local climate change, the monitoring of air and soil quality, and the planning of public policies based on evidence. In many municipalities, observatories and data offices already gather information in an integrated way, facilitating management work and increasing transparency for the population.
Another important advancement comes from the use of connected sensors, the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). Sensors installed in rivers, urban gardens, traffic lights, schools, or health units can measure environmental and social indicators in real time. This information feeds interactive dashboards that allow for preventive action to alert communities about potential climate events or direct resources to neighborhoods that need them most. But technology alone doesn't solve everything. It is essential to ensure the ethical use of data, protect people's privacy, and guarantee that public information is open, accessible, and understandable. It is also essential to invest in the training of managers and citizens so that everyone can understand what the data shows and participate in decisions that affect the city's future. A smart city is not just one that uses digital tools. It is, primarily, a city that puts people at the center, that learns from its own reality, and that uses knowledge to reduce inequalities, strengthen governance, and protect lives. Recent disasters have shown that improvising can be very costly. Planning based on data is a form of collective care.
Today we have a historic opportunity: to transform information into action and innovation into social well-being. Data and artificial intelligence should not be seen as something distant, but as allies in the effort to build safer, more sustainable cities, prepared for the climate challenges that are already part of our time. It follows that public decision-makers need data for decision-making; otherwise, they will be working in the dark.
Daniel Luis Notari is a researcher at the ABES Think Tank and the City Living Lab/PPGA – University of Caxias do Sul.
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
Article originally published on the IT Forum website: https://itforum.com.br/colunas/dados-e-ia-para-proteger-melhor-nossas-cidades/
