People-Centred Smart Cities in the AI Era
A free international guide. NBU took part in its Working Group 8 and is acknowledged as a contributor.
Guiding Principles and Frameworks for People-Centred Smart Cities in the AI era
Issued in 2026 within the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative, a United Nations platform, and published by the International Telecommunication Union. It is written for cities and local governments of every size and level of digital maturity. No technical AI expertise is needed to use it.
Three messages in the guide
- Decisions stay with people. AI can inform public decisions; accountability remains with people and public institutions.
- Technology complements public participation and does not replace it.
- Data do not capture all realities. Gaps in data do not mean needs are absent.
How it is organized
- A people-centred smart city compass
- Guidance on using AI responsibly
- An eight-step implementation cycle, from defining the urban challenge to learning, adapting and scaling
- Monitoring and evaluation with U4SSC key performance indicators
- Annexes with tools and case studies
Persistent link: handle.itu.int/11.1002/pub/82b69c46-en · ISBN 978-92-61-43891-3 (electronic version) · Licensed CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
From Working Group 8 to the acknowledgements
Working Group 8 meeting
NBU, represented by its Founder, President and CEO, took part as an expert in the U4SSC Working Group on guiding principles and frameworks for people-centred smart cities in the AI era.
Written contribution
NBU sent a written contribution, which the U4SSC Secretariat posted as document U4SSC-DT-WG8-DOC024.
Acknowledged in the guide
The published guide lists Hiroua Goare Bienvenu (Nation Builders University), NBU's Founder, President and CEO, among its contributing individuals.
Skills and trust, not only technology
Our input argued that smart-city projects often fall short when technology runs ahead of workforce skills and public understanding. We suggested:
- Practical civic digital literacy for residents
- Upskilling for municipal staff who manage AI platforms
- Plain-language public registers of city AI tools and community feedback before launch
- Periodic reviews after launch to check for drift and bias
- Entry points matched to each city's resources
Education that serves public service
This is the work NBU wants to grow: practical learning that helps public servants and communities use digital tools well. Courses on this theme are planned and not yet offered. See The Bridge and our convenings for more of our international work.
Questions? We are glad to help.
Call (771) 241-9259 or write to info@nationbuilderuniversity.com. Tell us about your goals and we will point you to the right next step.