The Role of AI in Smart Cities: A Review of Technologies, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Abstract

Artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in transforming urban environments into smart cities by optimizing traffic management, energy consumption, and public services. This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of AI applications in smart infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and citizen engagement. We examine key AI-driven technologies, including IoT-based predictive analytics, computer vision for surveillance, and natural language processing for smart governance. The paper also discusses challenges such as data privacy, cybersecurity threats, and ethical concerns in AI-powered urban planning. Finally, we explore future research directions for sustainable and intelligent city development.