ITU launches Focus Group on AI for Smart Sustainable Cities with Egypt co‑chair
According to International Telecommunication Union, The International Telecommunication Union convened over 350 experts in Finland to inaugurate its new Focus Group on AI for Smart Sustainable Cities and Communities, co‑chaired by Egypt’s NTRA chief Ramy Ahmed Fathy and Korea’s Jun Seob Lee, aiming to develop interoperable standards for AI‑driven urban services.
What happened
ITU hosted the Forum on AI and Citiverse (9‑10 Sept) and the first meeting of its Focus Group on AI for Smart Sustainable Cities and Communities (10‑11 Sept) in Tampere, Finland. The meetings were opened by Finland’s Minister of Local and Regional Government, Anna‑Kaisa Ikonen, and the Deputy Mayor of Tampere, Jaakko Mustakallio. The Focus Group, co‑chaired by Ramy Ahmed Fathy (NTRA, Egypt) and Jun Seob Lee (ETRI, South Korea), will address 43 technical objectives across six working groups and 18 task groups to produce standards and guidance for…
Why it matters
The initiative seeks to shape interoperable, inclusive AI standards that can help cities analyse data, improve services, and address challenges such as bias, data quality, and digital inclusion. By involving representatives from governments, industry, academia and standards bodies—including an Egyptian regulator—the group aims to ensure that AI‑driven urban innovation is scalable, sustainable and responsive to diverse city contexts, potentially influencing future urban policy and investment across regions.
What to watch
Cities are invited to share AI use cases and volunteer for pilot testing of the forthcoming AI‑enabled urban guide ahead of its debut at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, 3‑5 Nov.
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