VOICES
Dell Technologies is partnering with cities around the world to
address these challenges head-on—creating an encompassing digital
city roadmap that enables them to move beyond siloed use cases,
while providing a strong foundation that allows flexibility to start small
and scale. Here is a glimpse of just a couple of the cities we have
partnered with for their digital city initiatives:
• The City of Las Vegas, Nevada, is increasing public safety and
reducing response times for first responders by using machine
learning to analyze real-time data from sensors and devices
across the city and alert authorities of abnormal patterns.
• In the Netherlands, the City of Delft aims to alleviate city center
truck congestion and reduce carbon emissions by using semiautonomous,
hydrogen-powered river barges that are connected
and controlled by a mobility cloud.
THE CITY OF THE FUTURE
As digital technologies are being integrated into every building, sidewalk,
car, home, lamppost, and garbage can, data will be at the heart
of the city of the future. In the recent Future of Connected Living report
from Dell Technologies and Institute for the Future, researchers
forecast that the vision of the digital city will, once again, shift to one
of a sentient city—a city that can remember, correlate, and anticipate
its citizens’ needs.
In the sentient city, the intersection of 5G, wireless networks, the
Internet of Things, and AI-powered analytics will intrinsically link humans,
machines, and everyday objects, creating new data about how
we engage with the city’s infrastructure and services. Governments
will be able to create intelligent, data-driven city services, design safer
transportation systems, and increase sustainability through more
efficient resource allocation.
Achieving this vision will require us to reengineer our relationships
with our governments, infrastructures, and one another. When we
succeed, our cities of tomorrow will become a vibrant platform for
innovation, inclusion, and community. ■
THREE KEY
TENETS OF
DIGITAL CITY
SUCCESS
1. Outcome focus
Lead with the problem
to be solved.
2. Collaboration
Form citizens, public,
and private
partnerships.
3. Technology map
Adopt a platform that
is scalable, futureproof,
and open.
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Amit Midha serves on the World Economic Forum Global Future
Council on Cities and Urbanization.