As the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector accelerates into a digitally connected future, a pivotal question is emerging: How do we ensure technology delivers meaningful impact for people and place?
That question defined the tone of the 2025 Smart Cities Summit North America, held in San Francisco – a city long regarded as a crucible of innovation.
Hosted by the Smart Cities Council, the event convened delegates from more than 18 countries and multiple sectors to share use cases and learnings, while exploring how data,
infrastructure and AI can unlock more resilient, equitable and human-centred cities.
A shift from tools to transformation
“This is a room full of people who not only have the will – but the capacity – to reshape the future,” said Corey Gray, chair and president of the Smart Cities Council, during his opening remarks.
That future, he emphasised, must be built on trust, collaboration and data with purpose – not just sensors or software.
From keynote stages to closed-door roundtables, the summit spotlighted a shift in global thinking from “smart” as a technology label to “smart” as a value-driven framework for solving complex urban challenges.
Mike Lake, CEO of event partner Leading Cities, summed it up: “We live in a world obsessed with what’s next – faster, smarter, more connected. But as innovation accelerates, one question remains largely unanswered: when does technology finally start working for us?”
Digital twins, AI and the future of place
Dan Isaacs, CTO of the Digital Twin Consortium, and Stanford researcher James Ehrlich both explored how digital twins and AI are transforming the AEC landscape, from modelling energy use to simulating “SimCity-like” resilience scenarios for entire neighbourhoods.
Ehrlich’s ReGen Villages project demonstrated how generative design and systems integration can accelerate regenerative development across food, energy and water.
Meanwhile, Lisa Brown, executive director for state and federal government solutions at Johnson Controls, talked to resilient government infrastructure emphasising the need to modernise legacy systems while embedding trust and ethical AI into public service delivery.
And Marty Sprinzen of Vantiq introduced the concept of “agentic AI” as a way to empower cities to dynamically respond to disaster scenarios.
Chris Lane of Smart AI Connect drove the point home: “Cities aren’t struggling with access to AI; they’re struggling with implementation. Digital trust isn’t optional.”
Lessons from regional and global leaders
Key to the aummit’s success was its focus on regional transformation – from rural broadband to mobility equity.
Leaders like Julie Lawrie (Amplifyo), John Brooks (Globetom) and Ricardo Noguera (City of Brentwood, CA) offered practical insights into how small cities are using digital tools to improve affordability and liveability.
The Regional Communities Task Force was launched to support cities under 100,000 residents with broadband access, secure cloud platforms and practical guidance on digital infrastructure investment.
On the global stage, the Smart Cities Council facilitated dialogues on rebuilding infrastructure in post-conflict regions, including Ukraine and Central Africa.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s $650m Kinshasa Mercantile Exchange project showcased how blockchain-enabled commodity markets can strengthen economic trust and transparency.
Perhaps the most moving moment came during the Middle East Prosperity panel, where Israeli and Palestinian leaders discussed shared transportation solutions – a conversation rarely seen on such a global stage.
“We must share solutions beyond borders. Peace and prosperity require connection,” said Khaled Daher, smart mobility leader, ZIGURAT Institute of Technology and installation general manager at CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles).
From dialogues to deployments
The summit concluded with a sharp focus on what comes next: actionable frameworks, not just inspiration. As Anthony Dean of Trellis Data explained, we need to stop collecting more data and start activating intelligence in the systems already in place.
That urgency is echoed in the Smart Cities Council’s post-summit initiatives, including expanded health verticals, smart city diplomacy frameworks and global collaboration through outcomes-focused task forces on the built environment, transport, airports and
digital twins, specifically.
A call to the AEC sector
The message from San Francisco is clear: it’s time to align our tools with our values. Digital twins, AI and connected infrastructure must serve human dignity, community resilience and long-term sustainability – not just speed and efficiency.
As we build the future of place, we must also build trust, culture and inclusion into every layer of the built environment.
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