A city can become more digital, more connected and more automated. But does that automatically make it better for everyone?
This question was at the heart of “Human-Centric Cities in the Age of AI: Connectivity, Inclusion and Opportunity for All”, an online event held on 21 September 2026 as part of DIGITAL@UNGA.
Jointly organised by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the Global Initiative on AI and Virtual Worlds – Discovering the Citiverse, the event brought together more than 300 participants from over 50 countries, reflecting the growing global interest in ensuring that the digital transformation of cities remains centred on people and communities.
The event was also supported by the SPICE Project, ALFIE Project, ClearClimate Initiative and XarXa AccessCat, creating an opportunity to connect complementary perspectives on inclusive digital and urban transformation.
From smarter cities to better cities
The discussion explored how artificial intelligence can advance the public good and support responsible innovation while remaining grounded in human rights, sustainability, inclusion and equity.
Three interconnected themes guided the conversation: Connectivity, Inclusion and Opportunity for All.
From IoT sensors, digital twins and AI-supported urban infrastructure to accessible public services, participatory planning and opportunities for local businesses, the discussion demonstrated the significant potential of emerging technologies to improve urban life.
At the same time, participants highlighted an equally important reality: technological progress is not experienced equally by everyone.
The challenge is therefore not simply to develop better technologies, but to ensure that people can access them, understand them, trust them and have a meaningful say in how they are introduced into their communities.
This becomes particularly important when technological innovation intersects with fundamental questions of privacy, accessibility and participation. AI can, for example, contribute to safer and more efficient public spaces, but these benefits need to be balanced against risks such as excessive monitoring, profiling or the exclusion of people who face barriers in accessing digital services.
Human-centred AI therefore requires us to ask not only “Does the technology work?” but also “Who does it work for, and who gets to shape how it is used?”
Bringing the SPICE perspective to the discussion
Among the speakers was Nefeli Georgakopoulou from the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH), Coordinator of the SPICE Project, alongside Professor Pilar Orero from UAB, as well as Uglješa Stankov, Bamidele Adebisi and Juan A. Relaño. The discussion was moderated by Hlekiwe Kachali, with contributions from Aline Machado de Matta of UN-Habitat and Cristina Bueti of ITU.
For SPICE – Sustainable Public Spaces through Inclusive Community Engagement, these questions are closely connected to the project’s core mission.
SPICE is developing and testing new models of participation in the design and transformation of neighbourhoods, placing citizens and local communities at the centre of the process. Across its four demonstration areas in Thessaloniki (Greece), Bielsko-Biała (Poland), Rovaniemi (Finland) and Cuba (Portugal), the project explores how participatory approaches, supported by innovative digital tools, can enable communities to play an active role in shaping greener, more inclusive and resilient public spaces.
From this perspective, technology is not an end in itself. Its value lies in its ability to support dialogue, broaden participation, make complex information more accessible and strengthen collaboration between citizens, local authorities and other stakeholders.
This also means recognising that digital participation must remain inclusive. New tools should complement—not replace—human interaction and should create additional opportunities for people to engage rather than introducing new barriers to participation.
Keeping people at the centre of urban innovation
The DIGITAL@UNGA discussion reinforced an important principle shared by SPICE: a truly smart city is not defined by how much technology it uses, but by how effectively innovation contributes to the well-being and agency of the people who live there.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in urban services, infrastructure and decision-making, communities need opportunities not only to benefit from these technologies, but also to understand, question and influence how they are used.
For SPICE, this means continuing to explore how digital innovation and participatory governance can work together, ensuring that the transformation of neighbourhoods is not simply delivered to communities, but shaped with them.
Because the future of our cities should not only be smarter.
It should be more inclusive, more participatory and more human.