TheĀ dream of achieving hyperconnected “Smart cities” isn’t limited by technology but by humans.
Making cities smarter is more of a business model and governance challenge than a technological one.
Aligning the interests of everyone involved – city councils, residents, telecom firms, utilities, app developers – is often a political nightmare.
Discussions are happening with the backdrop of increased skepticism of big tech companies – many of which are trying to sell tools to cities.
Some of the largest and most expensive metro areas – such as New York, Seattle and Los Angeles – have been among the most hospitable to smart city discussions.
Mid-sized cities – such as Columbus, Kansas City and Phoenix – are harnessing smart city projects to attract attract workers and the startups and big companies that want to employ them.
The smart city movement is driven in part by tech-savvy millennials who have different expectations for their communities.
For many cities, managing homelessness, hiring teachers and fixing crumbling highways will have to come before developing a smart parking app.