Cities Shaping a Human-Centred AI Future: Use Cases from Vienna (15 min)
The digital transformation of public services is only just beginning, and European cities must seek their own democratic path. Michael Lightner Hikish from the agency Urban Innovation Vienna presented how Vienna can combine technological innovation with the protection of rights and the public interest. The key should be municipal digital sovereignty and systems designed with people in mind. The rapid development of artificial intelligence, drones, and quantum technologies shows that the public sector faces decades of digitalization. According to Hikish, it is not enough to copy the models of big tech companies; cities must find a public-interest, human-centered approach that is efficient and transparent while also safeguarding freedom and privacy. Europe also depends on foreign digital infrastructure, so it is important to invest in its own capacities and build municipal digital sovereignty. The city can be a trusted steward of data, operate digital "marketplaces," and in the future even offer AI as a public good, similar to how libraries work today.The European path to digital governance: the role of cities
