This short article by McKinsey & Company explains simply and clearly what is a digital twin. Learn the basics here.
Published on 26 August 2024.
Read this article by McKinsey & Company on how digital twins could improve public sector capital and operation efficiency by 20 to 30 percent.
Published in 3 July 2025.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing how cities analyze data, create content, and perform tasks, allowing them to boost productivity, drive efficiencies, and better meet the needs of residents and citizens.
In the future, AI has the potential to transform urban services, from infrastructure and transportation to public safety, health, and the environment. AI is expected to become widely accessible to businesses and residents across cities. As AI advances, some believe it will become an urban utility on par with others like electricity and water.
The Citiverse Use Case Taxonomy represents the first official deliverable of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI. Developed through a structured, multi-phase methodology, it captures a diverse and representative set of use cases that offer practical relevance for cities seeking to harness the potential of virtual world technologies.
A publication of ITU.
The U4SSC Deliverable on Guiding principles for artificial intelligence in cities provides a broad set of suggested principles, enablers, governance methods, policy instrument alternatives and a simple methodology for instilling AI principles in cities.
The U4SSC Deliverable on Guiding principles for artificial intelligence in cities is complemented by the following case studies:
The U4SSC Deliverable on Data and API requirements for centralized smart city platforms focuses on establishing standardized data and API requirements to enhance the interoperability of smart city platforms. It emphasizes the role of centralized systems in managing urban data, aiming to improve city governance, efficiency, and sustainability. The report provides guidelines for data management, integration, and API standardization, essential for cities looking to adopt a centralized approach to smart city technology.
Published in September 2024
The U4SSC Deliverable on Policy benchmarks for digital transformation of people-centred cities outlines key benchmarks for cities aiming to prioritize people in their digital transformation strategies. It provides guidelines on how urban areas can leverage digital technologies to improve citizen well-being, enhance inclusivity, and ensure sustainable urban development. The report emphasizes the importance of people-centred policies in the context of smart city initiatives.
Published in September 2024
The UNaLab Toolkit collects all of the instruments used throughout the UNaLab project in a user-friendly and widely applicable format. The tools are used for the co-creation and experimentation of innovative solutions in a real-life urban environment together with the engagement of citizens and all relevant stakeholder groups in a city. It includes a suite of co-creation tools for Need Finding, Ideation, Strategy planning, Experimentation and Feedback gathering. The tools come in a wide range of formats from games, workshops to templates.
Image by Andrei kokelburg, CC BY-SA 3.0 RO, via Wikimedia Commons
In the heart of Romania, the municipality of Târgu Secuiesc is proving that digital transformation isn’t just for large metropolitan areas. With a population of just under 20,000, this small city has embraced digital tools not simply as a matter of modernisation, but as a means to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and connected community.
During the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) 2025, the Living-in.EU movement will organise its second EU Digital Assembly in Brussels.
The Living-in.EU Digital Assembly is the annual political event of the Living-in.EU movement, where mayors, regional leaders and stakeholders set strategic priorities for Europe’s digital and green transformation.
