Looking Ahead: Digital Technology in the Cities of Tomorrow
Urbanization has taken hold in the 21st century. In 1950, around 20% of the world’s population lived in cities. By 2025, that figure had reached 57%, and by 2050 it is expected to exceed 70%. In Russia, urbanization has advanced even further: as of January 1, 2025, more than 75% of the population lived in urban areas. But this trend brings new challenges.
Life in large cities is becoming increasingly difficult, with traffic congestion, mounting pressure on public utilities and environmental problems.
Jeong-kee Kim, Secretary General of the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), addressed how to build a metropolis that is comfortable for everyone in a visionary lecture titled “From Digital Transformation to Human-Centered Cities: Connecting Innovation, People, and Global Urban Futures” at the Second Global Digital Forum in Moscow.
According to the WeGO chief, technological change is accelerating in the 21st century. What until recently seemed like a research project or something out of science fiction has become part of everyday life for hundreds of millions of people. Cities are undergoing digital transformation at a rapid pace. We stand on the threshold of a new era of urban development, and digitalization will be the foundation for building innovative, sustainable cities.
“However, as technologies become more powerful and increasingly integrated into our urban environments, I believe we need to ask ourselves a more fundamental question: Why are we changing and transforming in the first place?” Jeong-kee Kim stressed.
In the expert’s view, the main task is not simply to equip cities with the latest digital technologies, the infrastructure that supports them, and platforms for transmitting and analyzing data, including through artificial intelligence.
“Technology helps cities address the problems and challenges they face. But the success of digital transformation should not be measured solely by how many technologies a city has implemented,” the urban expert said.
The value of digital transformation in the cities of tomorrow will depend on more than what technology can do. What matters most is how these technologies are used and whether they improve people’s quality of life.
“At WeGO, we believe that cities are not simply places where digital transformation happens. They are where digital transformation finds its meaning. And we believe cities can achieve more by working together,” Jeong-kee Kim concluded.
That is why smart-city initiatives need to go beyond technology. Ultimately, the success of innovation will be measured by the benefits it delivers to city residents.
Watch the full visionary lecture, “From Digital Transformation to Human-Centered Cities: Connecting Innovation, People, and Global Urban Futures,” here:
