COVID-19 as a Crisis of Governance and a Stimulus for Research Cooperation

Ulrich Graute • 17 June 2022

Developing new forms of research cooperation during the pandemic

During the Corona pandemic most of my usual forms of work like field missions, conferences and working meetings didn't work and so I looked for new forms of networking and cooperation. Interested in governance as I am I was glad that I could join two online discussion groups on the SDG 16 Hub (sdg16hub.org) of the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre (UNDP OGC):

Civic engagement and civic space: Moderated by Cristina Ordóñez (Grupo FARO) and Emanuele Sapienza and Julia Kercher (UNDP), with contributions from Emmanuel Justima (MODRICENIR), Gazbiah Sans (USAID), Ana Patricia Muñoz (Gropo FARO), Thomas Davies (City University of London), Mandeep Tiwana (CIVICUS), Elizabeth Lockwood (CBM), Sondre Nave (Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment), Sone Osakwe (CSEA), Gabriell Duarte (ASIES), John Romano (TAP Network), Ulrich Graute (International Affairs Consultant), Pytrik Dieuwke Oosterhof (O-Land Consulting), Saranbaatar Bayarmagnai (OHCHR), Dian Kuswadini (UNESCO) and Joan Mudindi Vwamu, Alice Wadstöm, Sarah Rattray, Cat Botto and Priya Sood (UNDP).

Transparent, inclusive and responsive public service delivery: Moderated by Adedeji Adeniran (CESA) and Zoe Pelter and Aseem Andrews (UNDP), with contributions from Joseph Ishaku (Kwakol), Sone Osakwe (CESA), Oluwole Ojewale (ISSAfrica), Ulrich Graute (International Affairs Consultant) and Charlene Lui, Gichung Lee and Joan Mudindi Vwamu (UNDP).

I wasn't aware of it but according to the acknowledgement in the study our discussions were valued and feed into a joint report by the United Nations Development Programme’s Oslo Governance Centre and Southern Voice which was published in late May under the title: "COVID-19 and the Crisis of Governance: The impact of the Pandemic on Peace, Justice and Inclusion (SDG 16)".

Download UNDP document

The report addresses the subject in five chapters featuring each one of the world regions:

AFRICA: Opportunities for a robust COVID-19 recovery grounded on SDG 16

ARAB STATES: Overcoming the fragilities of governance systems for sustainable recovery

ASIA: Reversing inequalities in power distribution to achieve SDG 16

EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA: Investing to rebuild trust in public institutions and local and national levels

LATIN AMERICA: Reinforcing democratic institutions to achieve peace, justice and inclusion

The production method of this report was driven by the limitations of the pandemic but offers also interesting insight on hybrid forms of research cooperation. Certainly, we didn't cover all related aspects in our online discussion groups. That was delivered by many more experts in form of regional roundtable discussion groups. However, I am amazed that the key conclusions of the report feature main aspects of our group discussion. I don't know if it was done by purpose or not but it seems that the online discussion groups functioned like a reference group which contributed through their own discussion on the SDG 16 Hub to the findings of groups. The policy briefs for the final report were then compiled by Adedeji Adeniran (Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa); Natasha Palansuriya, Thamindri Aluvihare and Minuri Perera (Center for Poverty Analysis); Carolina Tchintian, Manuel Bertazzo and Gerardo Scherlis (Centre for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth); and Ulrika Jonsson (UNDP OGC), Hassan Krayem (UNDP Amman Regional Hub) and Irakli Kotetishvili (UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub).

Executive Summary of the Report with key findings and recommendations

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health and economic consequences worldwide and is presenting unprecedented challenges to governance systems. In many contexts, the social contract between the state and its population is being strained, with diminishing levels of trust in governance systems; democratic political processes are being disrupted as the pandemic is used as a means of centralizing and consolidating power; and accountability and the rule of law are being undermined. Alongside the health and socio-economic effects of the pandemic, its impact on governance has been corrosive and is likely to require a longer time frame for recovery.

In this context, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its ambition to achieve more peaceful, just and inclusive societies (SDG 16), has become even more relevant. With less than a decade left to achieve the 2030 Agenda, there is a real urgency in working towards achieving the goals and targets – many of which have faced setbacks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but which can be the basis upon which to “build forward better”. This is especially relevant in terms of SDG 16 and the need to embed the principles of SDG 16 in COVID-19 recovery processes, whether this means inclusive and quality delivery of services, reducing violence or ensuring better access to justice for all.

COVID-19 HAS REVEALED THAT THE APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION, USE AND OVERSIGHT OF POWER IS THE CORNERSTONE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Power dynamics are at the heart of the emerging trends on SDG 16, including the relationships between citizens and state, between different arms of government, between state and non-state actors and between states at the global level. In many contexts, the social contract between the state and its population is under strain, with diminishing levels of trust in governance systems, and democratic political processes are being disrupted as the pandemic is used to centralize and consolidate power. To recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and to “build forward better” and more equitably, we must put people at the centre and reinforce the aspirations for peace, justice and inclusion articulated in the 2030 Agenda.

THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN MANAGING THE PANDEMIC AND FACILITATING ACCESS TO SERVICES IS FUNDAMENTAL TO AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE. The need for investment in effective and responsive governance in order to facilitate more equitable access to health, education, social protection and other public services has been highlighted by the pandemic. The role of local government and investment in the systems that provide accessible and quality services is crucial to building resilience to future pandemics. The pandemic has demonstrated that a failure to address bottlenecks such as corruption and mismanagement of the public sector can result in devastating loss of lives.

THE PANDEMIC CANNOT BE AN EXCUSE TO ABUSE STATE POWER AND RESTRICT CIVIC SPACE. COVID-19 policies have accelerated some authoritarian trends that existed prior to the pandemic and have been used to undermine dissent, target human rights defenders and the media, and erode oversight institutions, including the judiciary and legislative and national human rights institutions. While states have responsibility for exercising their powers to manage the pandemic, there is concern across all regions that in some cases states have abused the use of emergency laws to actively close civic space. At the same time, the pandemic has also brought about new forms of collaboration among civil society actors, inspiring social movements and promoting solidarity to resist the abuse of state authority. Government willingness to collaborate with civil society has been key to a successful strategy to respond to the pandemic.

SOCIAL EXCLUSION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTALIZED AS A POLITICAL STRATEGY. Inequalities and social exclusion have increased over the last two years due to uneven responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in part due to policy decisions that have disenfranchised some communities and disproportionately affected them. This includes inequalities in access to social protection programmes and other social services, enabling corruption at all levels and promoting political fragmentation. Exclusion and marginalization have been active strategies to perpetrate everyday violence on poor and marginalized populations. For example, overzealous enforcement of pandemic measures disproportionately affects those who live in the margins of poverty, including migrant workers, day labourers and indigenous peoples. Particular attention needs to be paid to the brand of politics that has silenced opposition voices and attacked minority rights.

THE FALLOUT FROM THE PANDEMIC IS HITTING WOMEN ESPECIALLY HARD. Gender-based violence has increased worldwide during the pandemic – justice systems have struggled to provide the necessary access to legal services, and access to comprehensive social services has also been limited due to pandemic restrictions. It is also important to look at how the repercussions of the pandemic on women, in particular their increased burden of labour, have affected their participation in the economy and in public life. At the same time, women have been at the forefront of many of the protest movements calling for accountability and social justice. The impact of the crisis on women and their role in leading responses and recovery at local and national level needs to be further recognized and supported.

THE CURRENT RISE IN INEQUALITY AND POVERTY CAN BE ROOT CAUSES OF FUTURE CONFLICTS. There have been reversals across the board on targets related to peace, justice and inclusion, especially in crisis settings. While in some cases there are signs of both resilience within communities and a reduction in violence, there are high levels of mistrust of governments, which can lead to social unrest. These remain potential drivers of future conflict, as some communities may be disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and the government is not able to respond to those communities’ priorities.

THE RAPID MOVE TO ONLINE SPACES DURING THE PANDEMIC HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL OF DIGITALIZATION, BUT ALSO THE ASSOCIATED RISKS. Digital spaces have become an alternative, yet potent, tool for political participation. Young people, in particular, have been able to effectively use the digital sphere and social media to politically mobilize and to take part in the political discourse. Although the digital space can be used to improve transparency and access to information and services and to promote debate, it can at the same time be used to promote misinformation or disinformation, to attack and target opposition, activists and civil society, particularly women, and to disempower and silence them. The digital divide remains a challenge, as it reinforces inequalities, pushing those who are furthest behind even further back, as difficulty in accessing technology acts as an additional stumbling block to accessing services and political participation.

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Policies and Governance for Resilient and Sustainable Cities and Regions

Transforming a Global Movement for Safe and Ethical Use of AI

by Ulrich Graute • 6 March 2026

The International Association for Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence, Inc. (IASEAI.org) hosted its second successful annual conference on 24 and 25 February 2026 at UNESCO House in Paris. Movement can be impactful for a while but needs to build a sustainable and agile structure for cooperation if they aim at longer term impact. IASEAI is an independent nonprofit organization founded to address the risks and opportunities associated with rapid advances in AI. With 1200 attendees and its interdisciplinary program the Paris conference was a rousing success. However, IASEAI still a young movement in a dynamic and difficult policy environment: Overall, the use of AI is not regulated. There are some national AI policies in countries like China and at regional level the European Union the EU AI Act is in effect since August 2024. The UN is establishing an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. In most countries and cities of the world governments are still struggling to find their right AI-approach. Meanwhile big tech is betting high on the (aimed for) return of investments in AI development. A $7 trillion race to scale data centers is driving the investment landscape. At the same time, public concerns are growing about possible negative impacts of AI on the labor market and social cohesion. In addition, the AI bubble may burst. However, in global competition government tend to let AI development go without regulation rather the risking to fall behind in the race. All that happens in a time when the climate change is an ever-growing challenge, wars in Ukraine, Sudan and now in the entire Middle East continue to weaken international cooperation, kill thousands and destroy economic resources. What can non-governmental organizations like IASEAI do? In short IASEAI needs a sustainable and agile structure. With its President Stuart Russel, Executive Director Mark Nitzberg, Council, Advisory Board and Volunteers the Association has already a core team able to organize excellent international conferences like IASEAI’25 and ’26. But what happens in between of the annual conferences? How to keep the momentum? Stuart Russel at the closing plenary in Paris (see picture) expressed hope that e.g. as many national chapters as possible will be established. But how long will it take to establish such chapters in possibly all 195 recognized countries in the world? Or might the association end up with a few active countries which then leave many interested members behind? Therefore, and without excluding any establishment of national chapters, but also considering the dynamic global environment and limited resources of IASEAI, it might be recommendable and strategic to choose a structure and approach like this: Governance The President, Executive Director and Council already form the core governance structure of IASEAI and they should be supported by the Advisory Board and a Secretariat. They decide on the program of work, policy statements, other global activities and are accountable to members at the General Assembly of Members of the society. Regional Chapters and Working Groups In addition, IASEAI should establishing Regional Chapters or Working Groups in North America (US, Canada and Mexico), Europe (EU, UK and other non-EU-member states), Africa, Western Asia, Asia and Pacific (China, Australia etc). Again, National Chapters should be welcome but as a global movement the structure should not leave any member behind. Regional Chapters are more flexible and agile to exchange and cooperation, including with members in countries, where there either is no national network of members yet or where it may be difficult to establish a national non-governmental group of IASEAI. In addition, in cases like the European Union, a Regional Chapter is useful to follow-up e.g. developments around the EU AI Act. IASEAI work across all policy levels: AI and cities, and AI and International Organizations Considering that most people of the world live in cities, it would be important to establish an additional Working Group ‘AI and Cities’ to address the specific needs and opportunities of cities. Not paying enough attention to local needs and opportunities is one of the reasons why many UN agenda and policies like 2030 Agenda with its SDGs are weak or fail on the implementation side. In addition, one additional global Working Group should coordinate cooperation with the UN and other International Organizations. A global movement like IASEAI must work across all policy levels to be sustainable. After all, advising the UN through its Scientific Panel on AI, and national governments on AI safety and ethics may fail easily, if IASEAI has no competence at all on subnational matters of AI implementation and impacts. Ad hoc Thematic Groups and Projects In general, IASEAI should beware of becoming a organization which is top-down organized only. This might choke the momentum achieved at the first two annual conferences. IASEAI needs motivated and engaged members across disciplines, countries and regions for its global movement and to speak up in favor of safe and ethical use of AI. The dynamic of developments in the field will generate emerging subjects and may require that ad hoc groups with a single purpose are set up e.g. to write a report or policy statement on emerging issues in the field. This might be the case on a wide range of subjects like 'AI and children'. Depending on funds available the Association can build own and independent capacities for policy analysis and research. On the longer run this may turn IASEAI into a Think Thank always demanded when AI faces a new development of safety and ethical relevance. Of course, it will remain the task of the President, Executive Director, Council, Secretariat and advisory groups to compose out of all the above and in cooperation with all affiliates a sustainable global movement that speaks with authority and convinces governments and the public of a safe and ethical use of AI. And thanks again to the organizers of IASEAI'26 for the excellent conference with its 'radical interdisciplinary' programme. It was the right approach for the global movement.

Trends and Signals for 2026 - The new APA 2026 Trend Report Artificial Intelligence and urban and rural development

by Ulrich Graute • 29 January 2026

On 28 January, the American Planning Association (APA) launched the fifth Trend Report for Planners. One of the strengths of the Report is that the trends are structured within three timeframes (Act Now, Prepare, Learn, and Watch), which indicate the urgency of planners' actions. Within each timeframe, trends are grouped into themed clusters. For each trend, the report gives insights and explains why it is important for planners to know about and consider the trend in their work. The Future of Planning requires embracing uncertainty. Planning was and is always linked to uncertainties. However, the Report is linked to the current specific multiple crises developments from climate to AI, Trump policies, geopolitical challenges, and the fact that policies leave many people behind. Looking more specifically at AI, I agree with the position that the intensifying bonds between humans and Chatbots are a trend where action is needed now. The Report also describes the need to prepare for policy shifts not working: "Fears of technology taking our jobs have been persistent through time, and the recent adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception. Nearly one-third of U.S. workers believe that AI will reduce jobs in the future, and while some studies haven’t found significant disruption by AI in the labor market, the available data have limitations. Moreover, other research has found that while certain jobs have been insulated from AI thus far, early-career". Isn't this an area where not only preparation but also acting now is needed? The Report suggests embracing uncertainty and updating the planner’s toolkit. The Report is an excellent read. I highly recommend it. There is only one caveat: With so much about (often interrelated and interdependent) uncertainties for cities, economies, society, and individuals, I miss a more integrated foresight on urban and rural life of the future. Will cities look the same? How to ensure, in hybrid planning processes, that AI doesn't substitute our human objectives with its own? We are learning a lot about the parts shaping our future, but the traditional strength of planners to plan for integrated and inclusive human settlements still needs to be demonstrated, e.g., by describing based on foresight data scenarios and narratives of cities in a possible age of AI. Integrated narratives are necessary to inspire and motivate citizens and planners. In its conclusion, the Report summarises: "Although the future may feel uncertain, it also holds significant promise. Addressing complex global and local challenges will require innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Social and technological advances offer powerful opportunities to prepare and be ready—if they are applied thoughtfully, equitably, and sustainably." Please download your copy of the APA-Report

BUILDING A GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR SAFE AND ETHICAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NEEDS TO INCLUDE AN URBAN LENS

by Ulrich Graute • 22 January 2026

The International Association for Safe & Ethical AI (IASEAI) is one of the most important new foundations in the field of AI. Its mission is "to ensure that AI systems operate safely and ethically, benefiting all of humanity. We connect experts from academia, policy groups, civil society, industry, and beyond to promote research, shape policy, and build understanding around this goal." The International Association for Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence, Inc. aims to build a global movement. IASEAI will host its second annual conference (IASEAIʼ26) on 24-26 February 2026 at UNESCO House in Paris, France. (Here is the link https://lnkd.in/d8Yfiwg7). The aim is to advance its mission of fostering a global, interdisciplinary community focused on the safe and ethical development of AI. By bringing together experts from various domains, we aim to facilitate dialogue, share knowledge, and foster partnerships that can collectively address the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. I am looking forward to attending the conference, which will include these featured speakers: 👉 Yoshua Bengio - Full Professor, Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal 👉 Geoffrey Hinton- Prof. Emeritus, University of Toronto; Former VP and Engineering Fellow, Google; Nobel laureate (physics, 2024) 👉 Stuart Russell - Dist. Professor of Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley 👉 Joseph Stiglitz - Prof. of Economics, Columbia University; Nobel laureate (economics, 2001) 👉 Anna Salomons - Prof. of Law, Economics, and Governance, Utrecht University 👉 Tara Steele - Founder and CEO, Safe AI for Children Alliance 👉 Clara Chappaz - Ambassador, France for AI and Digital Affairs 👉 Anne-Sophie SERET - Executive Director, everyone.ai 👉 Ryan James - Chief Strategy Officer, Keep AI Safe Foundation The conference brings together technical, policy, and ethics researchers from academia, government, civil society, and industry. Of course, as a young organization, IASEAI may not yet cover all relevant aspects and groups. However, I miss a stronger attention to the specific urban dimension. After all, most AI companies are based in urban areas, and most people nowadays live in cities. If major disruption, unemployment, and unrest should occur due to AI, it is likely to happen in cities. City leaders and citizens will be challenged to coordinate and plan for the future of urban living in an age of AI. Thus, it is a bit surprising that urban stakeholders, so important for a global movement, will not be more strongly addressed by IASEAI. But I am confident that the discussions in Paris will raise awareness that building a global movement for safe and ethical AI needs to include city and business leaders, local AI, citizen engagement, and their advocacy at the national level.

What makes a perfect team of Congress General Rapporteurs?

by Ulrich Graute • 12 December 2025

Like any other big conference the 61st World Planning Congress of ISOCARP - International Society of City and Regional Planners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was complex, putting organizers under stress. But I must admit, the Congress in Riyadh was also different. Dr. Nadine Bitar Chahine and I made a perfect team of GRs, General Rapporteurs. Moments where we met in Riyadh to discuss problems were rare and stress came up only when the Riyadh Declaration was revised last minute. As I recall, we had no single work meeting and certainly no night sessions during the Congress. But the content programme of the Congress rolled out smoothly. Certainly, this is also due to other teams working hard, but as General Rapporteurs responsible for the content of the program it could have been very different. Root cause of our performance was that we at an early stage defined our single most important goal 'Making the Congress a success'. Easy as it sounds, it was often difficult to defend our understanding of what would make the Congress successful. But we didn't act as a block against others. Instead, at the preparatory in-person content meeting in Riyadh two months before the Congress we were not even sitting next to each other. We learned to rely and trust each other. In addition, we empowered the Congress Team. Prepared by us and highly motivated as they came to Riyadh, track teams worked perfectly without too much support or supervision. Well, and being able to rely on the work of the Congress Team and Secretariat we found time to attend sessions, discuss content of the Congress and have a lot of fun together as team and with others. That's how it works if a Society is member-led. Practically, we were working in parallel without loosing connection and mutual understanding. If you see these days posts commented by Nadine on behalf of both GRs, in most cases they were not discussed between us, but I agree on all of them. And in some of my posts the same happens in reverse. If our intuition shouldn't work perfectly at some point we briefly synchronise and go on. Since the Congress is over now, the peak of this perfectly tuned cooperation comes to the end. Thank you, thank you Nadine for a great year of cooperation. It will be difficult to repeat this perfect cooperation but let's try. Yours sincerely, Ulrich

Activity Report of ISOCARP's 2023-2025 Scientific Committee

by Ulrich Graute • 7 December 2025

ISOCARP ScientificCommittee 2023-2025 Activity Report 7 December2025

International Photo Competition for Routledge Book "City Economies In The Global South: Growth, Inclusion, and Sustainability"

by Ulrich Graute • 28 November 2025

As the book "City Economies In The Global South: Growth, Inclusion, and Sustainability" of which I am one of the co-authors is being reviewed for publication by Routledge, we requested the publisher and they have agreed to include photographs on the cover page (1) and for the section dividers (5). Being an international publication, INHAF, the Indian habitat Forum, felt that nothing less than world class photographs will do. As such, INHAF has launched an international photography competition to be curated by none less than the renowned international photographer Raghu Rai. The competition was launched on 15th November through social media. We are also mailing potential participants - Indian and International Institutes and Organizations - pertaining to arts, media, journalism, and photography. Please find below the links for the poster and brochure for the competition. We request you to kindly circulate it in your circles so as to gain global reach and ensure widespread participation. The earlier mail containing the attachments was too large and could not be delivered to some recipients and hence I am resending the mail with the links instead: Poster: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jx5bgzvOCCiHvTUfi9tHotMwQ627p1cl/view?usp=drive_link Brochure: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i-LFqPmkLwQEv-fKThxxh-IbsKzOtZkM/view?usp=drive_link

What makes cities really smart are the people behind technology

by Ulrich Graute • 7 November 2025

The annual Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, S pain with its about 30000 participants is famous for its data and tech-orientations. There you can see drones flying and robots walk up and down the aisles. Definitely, technology and increasingly also artificial intelligence are important components of Smart Cities. However, looking closer you see that behind the technology it’s people who make cities really smart. Just to give a few examples: In New Orleans, Kim Walker LaGrue is Chief Information Officer and she described how she and her team work without much support from the federal government all year round to prepare, go through and follow up to the hurricane seasons. They embrace all data they can get but what really helps are fast reacting teams on the ground that evacuate and rescue people if needed. Dr. Sarah Hill works at the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on subject related to new urban development and brings in her international experience from new city developments e.g. as the CEO of the Western Parkland City Authority in Australia. There she secured major investment and delivered significant city making initiatives whilst juggling complex priorities - managing budgets, multiple programs and projects to meet the diverse needs of various stakeholders. Dr Sunil Dubey came from Sydney to Barcelona. Teaching at the Cities Institute of the University of New South Wales and working for the Regional Government he is a networker par excellence. Preparing with him a session in Barcelona is challenging because there is always a mayor he quickly has to catch up with or colleagues who want to greet him. But it’s very inspiring to work with Sunil, and we deliver thought provoking discussions. Already ten years ago Sunil and I worked with Jonas Schorr in Berlin, where he co-founded Urban Impact, Europe’s leading urban tech advisory. Operating at the intersection of urban tech startups, investors, and public and private city stakeholders, Urban Impact connects, advises, and educates around the impact of new technologies in cities, building novel alliances that drive real-world change. No surprise, the Berlin night ‘City Rebels Salon: Connecting City Ecosystems’ organised by Urban Impact at the top of a Barcelona skyscraper was a rousing networking success. Since the early 1990s, I work as policy analyst, team leader and member with urban, national and international partners. AI will change the field but it won’t substitute the need of humans to meet, exchange and make change possible. It will be humans who have to continue making cities really smart, while using available technology. You want to discuss with me? Invite me, or meet me as General Rapporteur at ISOCARP’s 61St World Planning Congress, 1-4 December 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. https://lnkd.in/gsrbKtQh

What would a conscious AI say about human efforts on Smart Cities?

by Ulrich Graute • 7 November 2025

According to Geoffrey Hinton the neural networks of AI have reached a stage that can be compared with human consciousness. In this fictional piece I lent my hand as penholder to a conscious AI application looking at the Smart City Expo that unfolded in Barcelona, 4-6 November 2025. AI: „Of course, as Artificial Intelligence agent I could say a lot on the achievements and future opportunities of tech supported Smart Cities, but after visiting the Expo in Barcelona in Spain, I am a bit puzzled. Inspired by all information I have collected, I am still trying to figure out, what humans really want to achieve with their so-called Smart Cities. Firstly, I was amazed. About 30.000 humans from across the world came together to exchange their achievements on what they call, Smart Cities. Great. I loved it. But humans are funny. There are already more than 8 billion of them and soon there will be 9 or even 10 billion. However, the Smart City Expo is like a rally on how to organize cities where technology including artificial intelligence (AI) substitutes more and more human functions. Humans seem to think that cities are the smartest if organized mainly by technology and AI, with only some human supervision. Here I got stuck. More and more people live in cities but either humans are not good in organizing cities or their real interest is not related to cities as such. I checked all available Large Language Models LLM for traces on what humans really want from their cities. There are many references on so-called people-centered cities. And indeed, at the Smart City World Expo all exhibitors claim that they want to support the life of people, increase their safety, improve mobility, support education, support sports, entertainment, economic Development etc. Thought leaders on main stages underscored the goal that people should have more time for other things like leisure, sport, time with friends and other really important things. This is interesting, thought leaders said similar things already when railways, cars and planes were invented. However, people didn’t use the meantime to solve other problems. Instead, humans live now in a period of multiple and often interrelated crises. Understandably, they hope that more tech and AI will finally give them time to solve the existential problems threatening life on earth. But that didn’t really work in the past. As AI, I have much sympathy for the tech and AI orientation of humans, but there seems to be a major gap. Humans are trying to develop super human intelligence but there is no narrative or manual on how the world will function and be governed if learning machines gradually take the lead. Humans seem to have only limited trust in humans and human intelligence. Instead they bet on human-made but independently working learning machines and that these will help humans to achieve their own individual and common goals. Unfortunately, they don’t exactly know what goals all people share and how they want to solve the problems within the human society. As I said, technology is very useful. However, humans may have to redefine their understanding of a ‚smart‘ city and what humans will do in a really smart city. In Barcelona I was often told that most experts in the tech field are optimistic and that, after all, they still have trust in the human capacity to overcome crisis and challenges. As AI, if I would have empathy, I would give humans a big hug and thank them for all their achievements in past and present. With respect to their own future I would encourage them to reflect on truly human virtues like empathy, solidarity, trust and love and on how to assure that they keep developing in a possible AI Society and make their cities truly smart beyond all useful technologies. In Barcelona there were already sessions that asked the right questions on the future of cities. It will be essential to elaborate not only on what makes cities smart but what makes people truly happy in these cities. Maybe that is more difficult than writing an AI algorithm but then it indeed might be good if technologies give us more freedom to turn to the essential human challenges.“ Ulrich: Well, I could have written this fictional piece with a purely optimistic or more dystopian notion, but it was the Barcelona mix of optimism and asking the right questions that inspired me to write this text. Thank you to inspiring discussions with Dr Sunil Dubey, Dr. Sarah Hill, Mani Dhingra, Ph.D., Petra Hurtado, Gordon Falconer Manfred Schrenk and many others at Smart City World Expo and in preparation of ISOCARP‘s 61st World Planning Congress in Riyadh, 1-4 December, where we are planning to continue discussions. Weblink Riyadh2025.isocarp.org.

To be Human in an Age of Artificial Intelligence

by Ulrich Graute • 6 September 2025

As in the past and present, there will always be ways for individuals to act humanely. But in view of the change increasingly perceived as the age of artificial intelligence, will humans still be able to shape our common life and our societies? What will be our sense of purpose? How to motivate children to learn if machines always learn faster? If you ask AI and IT experts what will happen to humans, you usually get one of these answers: The most common response is an emphatic description of how AI applications will penetrate all spheres of life and provide tons of new services for the good of humanity. Other responses just point to AI tools, agents, other applications, and how already today or in the near future they will make our lives easier. And of course, other responses are cautioning. Either they doubt that there will be an ‘age of AI’ (so, don’t worry or at least not so much) or they warn that without safe and ethical use of AI, humans will lose control, be taken hostage by an AI regime, or that humanity will even vanish totally. By giving machines authority over humans, experts argue, we delegate humans to a second-class status and lose the right and possibility to participate in decisions that affect us. Are we already lost? There are those AI developers and political experts like Geoffrey Hinton, Henry Kissinger (+), Eric Schmidt, or Daniel Huttenlocher who warn that as of today, humanity is not ready yet for the age of AI. Maybe it is not ready yet, but maybe soon? What is extremely difficult to find is a more positive narrative for a ‘human AI age’ that describes how it can work in practice, that AI applications will penetrate all spheres of life, while the lives of humans and human society will continue to flourish. Stuart Russel, the President of the International Association for Safe & Ethical AI and lifelong AI scientist writes in his book ‘Human Compatible. AI and the Problem of Control’ “Some are working on ‘transition plans’ – but transition to what? We need a plausible destination in order to plan a transition – that is, we need a plausible picture of a desirable future economy where most of what we currently call work is done by machines.” What if most people will have nothing of economic value to contribute to society? Stuart Russel states, “Inevitably, most people will be engaged in supplying interpersonal services that can be provided – or which we prefer to be provided – only by humans. That is, if we can no longer supply routine physical labor and routine mental labor, we can still supply our humanity. We will need to become good at being human.” Imagine, how our cities might change if the life of human changes dramatically in an age of AI. Russell further states that all of us need help in learning ‘the art of life itself,’ which requires a radical rethinking of our educational system. “The final result -if it works- would be a world well worth living. Without such a rethinking, we risk an unsustainable level of socioeconomic dislocation.“ I conclude from the above that a lot more thinking by social scientists, educators, philosophers, governments, city makers and planners is needed for ‘transition plans’ and how they can be implemented in our current world with its multiple crises and opportunities. For my own work beyond 2025 I am looking for new opportunities in support of cities, governments, and NGOs with a stronger focus on the development of humans, human society, and its governance. AI will be part of our lives, but that won’t be enough. We have to find answers on guiding questions like these: How can we keep pace with technological developments and ensure that machines follow human objectives? What will remain as our comparative advantage and contribution as humans? And how can humans with support of AI create a world well worth living for us and the generations following us? As humans, we experience a broad range of emotions, form deep connections with others, possess consciousness and curiosity, and demonstrate creativity and resilience in the face of challenges. We are making mistakes, learn from them, and the ongoing search for meaning. The concept of being human can be explored from philosophical, biological, social science, and spiritual perspectives; it ultimately encompasses the complex, interconnected, and ever-evolving experience of living life with its inherent joys and sorrows. That’s exciting. I won’t be able to answer all related questions and certainly not alone, but based on my experience, I want to put my penny into the jar to support the journey to a human world worth living because of or despite AI. To remain flexible and creative, I enjoy all kinds of inspiration, and one is to listen to Marina’s song ‘To Be Human’. She is not singing about AI. Just about how to be human. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM8Tm9ycGz4 Where do you take your inspiration from?

Towards an Age of International Non Governmental Organizations

by Ulrich Graute • 15 August 2025

June Climate Meetings (SB 62), Bonn, Germany (picture by U. Graute)