As advancements in digital technologies continue to shape and transform our societies, the role of local governments and their capacities to utilize these technologies for the purpose of improving their capabilities to deliver services in the digital world has become increasingly important. New technologies, such as AI, and AI-enabled solutions, are opening up new opportunities for service provision in cities and presenting a high potential for sustainable development growth. With sophisticated solutions being deployed in urban settings at an unprecedented pace, AI has the potential to greatly improve the way cities are built and managed. However, these opportunities are associated with challenges and risks such as potential bias and discrimination, privacy violations, and other human rights violations. Thus, leading to the acceleration of existing problems, reinforcement of structural inequalities and biases in communities. As a result, researchers and practitioners must design and implement robust solutions to address the challenges and promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities. It is also vital to have a good understanding of local government capacity gaps in relation to AI and their current strengths and needs to use AI to enhance service delivery and ultimately improve the living and working conditions of all.
In collaboration with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV) and other UN organisations, UN-Habitat has commissioned a global AI study in cities to understand current capacity and governance gaps and the needs of cities in relation to AI, as well as opportunities for standardisation, cooperation, and multi-stakeholder governance. The study is expected to generate evidence on the needs and capacities of cities related to the responsible use of AI while informing the process to develop technical guidelines on how to use, implement, and govern AI in local government contexts.
As part of this initiative, you are invited to participate in a survey on the "Global assessment of responsible Artificial Intelligence in cities". The global survey assesses the opportunities and challenges of leveraging AI for people-centred cities by considering the fundamentals of service design and how it applies to the AI field while putting the human side of data at the centre. In this global survey we will ask you as an expert or Manager of AI in cities, questions related to your city and any AI-related Project, the risk and benefits, capacity needs, challenges and opportunities and other related questions. The questions encompass the needs and capacities as well in term of technology, data, governance and the good practices and challenges related to the adoption and use of AI in cities.
We sincerely hope that you use around 20 minutes of your valuable time to answer and submit the survey. Your participation is completely voluntary. All answers and survey information are kept anonymous and stored in accordance with relevant European and International data protection and privacy regulations.
If you have any questions about this survey, please do not hesitate to contact Soumaya Ben Dhaou (bendhaou@unu.edu) or Tupokigwe Isagah (isagah@unu.edu). Thank you in advance for your participation in this important study.
To start the survey, please click "Next".
There are 50 questions in this survey.
