This article by Hans Teuben et al for Capgemini discusses the five structural shifts observed on the global smart city landscape and the trends in smart cities for 2026.

At a glance

• Orchestrated, federated and integrated data-driven ecosystems improve local economies and citizens’ lives
• Smart city performance depends on every part being connected, synchronized, and responsive
• Data spaces provide the trusted, secure, and sovereign framework for data exchange in smart city ecosystems
• Agentic AI and digital twins are revolutionizing urban planning
• Metaverse‑style environments (the Citiverse) are emerging in smart cities
• Smart ports are among key regional drivers to smart cities