WORKSHOPS

Successful urban artificial intelligence projects require an understanding of the many complex elements that go into them: the technical components of an urban AI system, the interactions between AI technologies and the built environment, considerations for ethical and human-centered AI implementation, project scoping, and considering the multiplicity of stakeholders operating in the urban environment. Building off of our Urban AI guide and other works, we developed a workshop curriculum that can be customized to fit the specific educational needs of your municipality or organization.

The guide and workshop series arose from conversations with city leaders, who were confronted with the emergence of artificial intelligence, as a means of solving complex urban problems, but who felt they lacked the background knowledge to properly engage with and evaluate the solutions. To fill this knowledge gap, we designed customized workshops on urban AI, oriented toward municipalities and other urban stakeholders, who are interested in learning more about how artificial intelligence interacts in urban environments.

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Expected Outcomes

Participants should come away from this workshop having achieved the following outcomes:

• The development of a shared foundational understanding of urban artificial intelligence and its components.
• Increased awareness of the state of the art of urban artificial intelligence and how it is used and implemented in various contexts.
• The ability to critically evaluate urban artificial intelligence projects and proposals.
• Inspiration and preparation for one’s own urban artificial intelligence project.

Structure

The workshops can be customized to fit the needs of your city or organization, but they generally cover three major themes: What is Urban AI?, What Goes into Urban AI?, and How is Urban AI Implemented and Used?.

What is Urban AI? provides an overview of artificial intelligence, the relationship between AI and cities, and the specificities of urban artificial intelligence that require particular attention. Participants will learn how to think about integrating artificial intelligence into urban operations, more broadly.

What Goes into Urban AI? runs through the Urban AI Anatomy introduced in the Urban AI guide, detailing the components of an urban artificial intelligence system. Participants will learn about the technologies employed in an urban AI project and better understand the items to consider when building out AI infrastructure and staff.

How is Urban AI Implemented and Used? highlights real-world urban artificial intelligence use cases in cities, describing the problem definition, implementation strategy, and outcomes. Participants will learn, functionally, how to implement urban artificial intelligence and gain insights and inspiration from other cities.

Details

Length: We offer half-day and full-day workshops, depending on how in depth you would like the workshop to be.

Delivery Method: Workshops can be held virtually or in-person, depending on what works best for your city or organization.

Instructors: Instruction is delivered by researchers from Urban AI and experts in the Urban AI Community, with a strong background in artificial intelligence, urban studies, and education.