Publications
Autonomous cities and AI: The next frontier of urban transformation
This Guide explores how the convergence of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, digital twins, IoT, robotics, and advanced connectivity is driving the evolution of smart cities into autonomous cities, urban environments capable of sensing, learning, predicting, and increasingly managing services with minimal human intervention. It presents a people-centred vision in which AI enhances urban planning, mobility, public safety, energy, healthcare, and environmental sustainability through data-driven, real-time decision-making, while emphasizing that technological progress must be accompanied by strong governance, ethical AI, cybersecurity, transparency, interoperability, and human oversight. Drawing on global case studies and practical implementation guidance, the report provides policymakers and city leaders with a roadmap for adopting autonomous urban systems responsibly, ensuring that innovation advances sustainability, resilience, inclusion, and improved quality of life for all residents.
The Guide is complemented by the following case studies:
Published in July 2026
AI-Enabled Citiverse: Foundational Capabilities for Cities in the Age of AI
This report explores the foundational capabilities and enabling technologies that cities need to operationalize the AI-enabled citiverse. Designed for city leaders, policymakers and urban innovation practitioners, it offers a practical reference framework for understanding the core building blocks required to move from vision to implementation. By identifying the technical, organizational and governance capabilities needed to harness AI, digital twins, immersive technologies and intelligent infrastructure, the report supports cities in translating emerging opportunities into tangible public value and sustainable urban transformation.
Published in July 2026
AI-Enabled Citiverse: Use Cases for Cities in the Age of AI
This series of reports provides a practical reference for policymakers, industry leaders, city officials and other stakeholders on the opportunities and pathways for implementing the AI-enabled citiverse. It highlights emerging momentum, key applications and practical approaches for adoption, experimentation and scale.
Updated in July 2026
Outcome document of the Citiverse Assembly: Collaboration on Global Standards for the AI-Enabled Citiverse
This Outcome Document presents a global call for collaboration on standards for the AI-enabled citiverse. It highlights the urgent need for cities, governments, standards bodies, industry and academia to work together on open, interoperable and trusted frameworks that ensure AI, digital twins, spatial intelligence and immersive technologies are deployed in the public interest. It outlines shared priorities for advancing global standards, scaling proven use cases, embedding human oversight and data sovereignty, and building a living global landscape of citiverse standards, initiatives and deployments to support inclusive, sustainable and future-ready urban transformation.
Published in May 2026
AI-Enabled Citiverse: A Strategic Blueprint for Cities in the Age of AI
This Blueprint presents a high-level strategic roadmap to help mayors, ministers and city leaders navigate the transformative potential of the AI-enabled citiverse. It explores how AI, digital twins, spatial intelligence and immersive technologies can be responsibly integrated to build more intelligent, resilient and human-centric urban ecosystems. It also provides strategic guidance for leadership, policy direction and cross-sector collaboration, helping cities turn emerging technological opportunities into inclusive, sustainable and future-ready urban transformation.
Published in May 2026
City Leader’s Field Guide: Preparing for the AI-enabled citiverse
This Field Guide offers a practical readiness assessment and 90-day action framework to help city leaders prepare for the AI-enabled citiverse. It provides tools, checklists and evidence-based guidance to assess city readiness, identify implementation gaps, and help cities move from vision to real-world deployment of responsible, human-centric and interoperable AI-enabled citiverse solutions.
Published in May 2026
Executive Briefing on AI, Spatial Intelligence and the AI-Enabled Citiverse
Developed with contributions from 20 United Nations entities, this Executive Briefing provides a strategic assessment of how artificial intelligence, spatial intelligence and the AI-enabled citiverse are transforming governance, urban development and global digital cooperation. The publication outlines key opportunities, systemic challenges and governance priorities for ministers, mayors and senior decision-makers, while emphasizing the importance of trusted, interoperable and people-centred digital transformation to advance sustainable development.
Published in May 2026
Call to Action for Humanity: Shaping the Future of Cities in the Age of AI and Citiverse
The Call to Action sets out a shared global vision for ensuring that AI, spatial intelligence and the citiverse are developed and deployed responsibly, inclusively and for the public good. Endorsed during the 3rd UN Virtual Worlds Day, it identifies five strategic priorities for governments, industry, academia, civil society and the United Nations to strengthen trust, foster interoperability, accelerate inclusive innovation, and ensure that no one and no place are left behind in the digital transformation of cities and communities.
Published in May 2026
Data and API requirements for decentralized smart city platforms
This report provides technical guidance on designing and implementing decentralized smart city ecosystems. It explores the shift from centralized to decentralized data architectures, highlighting issues such as data sovereignty, interoperability, trust, and governance in urban digital platforms. The report presents a gap analysis on existing approaches, discusses emerging concepts such as data spaces and distributed ledger technologies, and outlines high-level architectural considerations for secure and scalable data exchange. By defining clear data and API requirements, the publication supports cities in building open, interoperable, and resilient digital infrastructures that align with sustainability and citizen-centric principles.
Published in February 2026
No One Left Behind in the Citiverse: A Blueprint for Accessible AI-Powered Virtual Worlds
This report highlights the urgent need to embed accessibility and inclusion at the core of digital transformation. It presents practical models, use cases, and policy guidance to ensure that AI-powered virtual worlds are designed for everyone — fostering equitable participation, seamless experiences, and universal access in the cities of tomorrow.
Published in November 2025
A guide to digital wellbeing
The Guide to Digital Wellbeing explores how digital technologies can both enhance and challenge human wellbeing, emphasizing the need to balance the opportunities of connectivity, education, and participation with risks such as mental strain, over-connectivity, and misinformation. It presents a framework for addressing digital risks and capturing digital opportunities through themes like mental and physical health, cybersafety, the ability to disconnect, and equitable access to digital benefits. The guide stresses that wellbeing depends not only on access to technology but also on how it is used, governed, and designed. It calls for holistic, cross-sectoral policies that promote digital literacy, trustworthy information, inclusive design, and the right to disconnect. For smart cities and digital development initiatives, it highlights that wellbeing should be a key design principle to ensure technology supports inclusion, safety, and quality of life.
The Guide is complemented by the following case studies:
Published in November 2025
A framework for enabling people-centred cities through digital transformation
The framework presents a holistic and people-centred roadmap for cities to harness digital transformation in support of sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban development. It emphasises that digital technologies are not ends in themselves but enablers of improved quality of life, citizen engagement and equitable access to services, aligning closely with the Sustainable Development Goal 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The report outlines key policy levers, governance models, and stakeholder engagement strategies to fairly embed digital solutions — such as IoT, data-driven services and interoperable platforms — in urban systems, while also managing risks around the digital divide, privacy, interoperability and climate impacts. By framing digital transformation as a strategic process rather than a purely technological upgrade, the framework helps city-leaders set vision, benchmarks and pathways for becoming truly people-centred smart cities.
Published in November 2025
Building digital public infrastructure for cities and communities
The U4SSC Deliverable on “Building Digital Public Infrastructure for Cities and Communities” highlights how interoperable systems such as digital IDs, payments, data-sharing platforms, and smart governance tools can help cities become more inclusive, resilient, and citizen-centric. It underscores the importance of scalable, secure, and well-governed digital public infrastructure (DPI) to bridge digital divides, improve urban service delivery, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals. The report also outlines key policy, regulatory, and technical enablers, offering best practices and examples for building strong DPI foundations in urban contexts. Finally, it stresses the need for multistakeholder collaboration and the use of standards and frameworks to ensure interoperability, trust, and equity.
Published in September 2025
Guidelines for cities to achieve carbon Net Zero through digital transformation
These Guidelines offer real-world strategies and digital use cases—from EV-sharing to smart grids—to help city leaders harness digital tools effectively, ethically, and inclusively.
Published in July 2025
Methodology to Assess Net Zero Progress in Cities
This Methodology provides a comprehensive framework to measure a city’s carbon performance across all sectors—from transport to ICT—and maps progress toward Net Zero with clear KPIs and maturity levels.
Published in July 2025
Citiverse Use Cases Taxonomy
The Citiverse Use Case Taxonomy represents the first official deliverable of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI. Developed through a structured, multi-phase methodology, it captures a diverse and representative set of use cases that offer practical relevance for cities seeking to harness the potential of virtual world technologies.
Published in June 2025
Future-Ready Cities and Communities
This publication highlights ITU’s work on Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twins, digital transformation, and smart sustainable cities and communities.
Published in May 2025
A Year of Impact – 2024
The Year of Impact 2024 report offers an in-depth view of ITU’s accomplishments on sustainable digital transformation, smart sustainable cities, metaverse and virtual worlds. Looking ahead, ITU remains dedicated to fostering collaboration for a digital future for all.
Published in December 2024
U4SSC Key Performance Indicators for People-Centered Cities for city leaders
The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a comprehensive, globally recognized framework designed to help cities measure and track their progress in becoming smarter, more sustainable, and more people-centered, while aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Supported by 19 UN agencies, these KPIs provide cities with a standardized approach to collect data, evaluate performance, and drive people-centered digital transformation
Published in December 2024
U4SSC Brochure – Connecting communities, empowering people
U4SSC Brochure offers an overview of the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC), a global initiative supported by 19 UN entities committed to driving the sustainable digital transformation of cities and communities.
Published in October 2024
Policy benchmarks for digital transformation of people-centred cities
The U4SSC Deliverable on Policy benchmarks for digital transformation of people-centred cities outlines key benchmarks for cities aiming to prioritize people in their digital transformation strategies. It provides guidelines on how urban areas can leverage digital technologies to improve citizen well-being, enhance inclusivity, and ensure sustainable urban development. The report emphasizes the importance of people-centred policies in the context of smart city initiatives.
Published in September 2024
Data and API requirements for centralized smart city platforms
The U4SSC Deliverable on Data and API requirements for centralized smart city platforms focuses on establishing standardized data and API requirements to enhance the interoperability of smart city platforms. It emphasizes the role of centralized systems in managing urban data, aiming to improve city governance, efficiency, and sustainability. The report provides guidelines for data management, integration, and API standardization, essential for cities looking to adopt a centralized approach to smart city technologies.
Published in September 2024
1st UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals
This executive briefing provides an in-depth look at the enabling power of these digital spaces in advancing the SDGs, particularly focusing on the transformative impact of the metaverse.
Published in June 2024
Guiding principles for artificial intelligence in cities
The U4SSC Deliverable on Guiding principles for artificial intelligence in cities provides a broad set of suggested principles, enablers, governance methods, policy instrument alternatives and a simple methodology for instilling AI principles in cities.
The U4SSC Deliverable on Guiding principles for artificial intelligence in cities is complemented by the following case studies:
- Case study – Hong Kong [Read online]
- Case study – Dubai [Read online]
- Case study – Buenos Aires [Read online]
- Case study – Singapore [Read online]
- Case study – Copenhagen [Read online]
Published in February 2024
Guide for smart and sustainable city leaders
The Guide for smart and sustainable city leaders aims to provide city leaders with practical guidance on how to plan, develop, and implement smart and sustainable city initiatives. The document covers various aspects related to smart and sustainable cities, including the role of technology, governance, policy frameworks, financing, and stakeholder engagement. It emphasizes the importance of leveraging digital technologies to address urban challenges and improve the quality of life for citizens. The guide offers a step-by-step approach to help city leaders assess their current situation, set goals, develop strategies, and monitor progress towards becoming a smart and sustainable city. It provides case studies, best practices, and recommendations based on experiences from different cities around the world. Overall, this document serves as a comprehensive resource for city leaders who are interested in transforming their cities into smart and sustainable environments, leveraging technology and innovation to create more efficient, inclusive, and environmentally friendly urban spaces.
Published in October 2023
Enabling digital transformation in smart sustainable cities – Master plan
The Enabling digital transformation in smart sustainable cities – Master plan aims to provide guidance and strategies for cities to effectively implement digital transformation initiatives and become smart cities. The document highlights the importance of digital technologies in driving the transformation of cities and improving the quality of life for citizens. It emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that considers various aspects such as infrastructure, connectivity, data management, cybersecurity, and citizen engagement. The master plan provides a framework for cities to assess their current digital readiness, set goals, and develop strategies to enable digital transformation. It covers topics such as smart governance, digital infrastructure, smart mobility, e-services, and innovation ecosystems. Overall, this master plan serves as a comprehensive resource for city leaders and stakeholders involved in the digital transformation of cities. It provides practical guidance, recommendations, and examples to help cities leverage digital technologies effectively and create smart, sustainable, and inclusive urban environments.
Published in October 2023
Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC
The U4SSC developed Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC supports cities in identifying strategic, operational, and connectivity needs for integrated Smart Sustainable City management. It covers basic principles, critical success factors, risks, and a high-level methodology for urban digital infrastructure implementation. It also addresses GovStack Initiative’s Building Blocks alignment, transformation elements, and city technicians’ needs to assess digital transformation and fulfill citizens’ demands while adhering to regulatory requirements.
Published in July 2023
Executive briefing on the metaverse
The Executive Briefing on the metaverse provides a concise overview of the technologies that underpin metaverse, as well as the key challenges and opportunities.
Published in May 2023
Building a people-centered digital future for cities and communities
This Brochure showcases the ITU’s commitment to creating an inclusive, accessible and sustainable digital future that supports the needs of people and communities. The Brochure provides an overview of our key initiatives, programs and Recommendations that accelerate digital transformation. Explore how together, we can make a real difference and build a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for all.
Published in May 2023
Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities
The Guidelines support city officials and their collaborators to embrace digital commercial approaches that support achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By looking more broadly and holistically across the full public spending lifecycle of digital transformation, the Guidelines support improving the well-being of our people and our planet, today and for future generations. This includes focusing relentlessly on users, and delivering outcomes that address the problems that get in the way of meeting users’ needs. Achieving this means leveraging smart and sustainable public procurement to improve public policy, governance, transparency, and accountability.
Published in May 2023
The role of digital technologies in aging and health
The Role of Digital Technologies in Aging and Health is part of the publication series titled “The Decade of Healthy Aging in the Americas: Situation and Challenges.” The publications are designed to present updated information and data on aging and health, to favor prioritization of effective actions at the local level as well as monitoring and development of public health policies, for the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Aging (2021–2030) in the Americas. This document presents the opportunities that arise when technology is designed and presented as a tool for aging and how it can improve the lives of older persons. It emphasizes the need to develop innovative and inclusive approaches to encourage the industry and governments to provide technological solutions suitable for older people and everyone. The Decade of Healthy Aging 2021–2030 is a period to guide action toward the transformation of societies to the aging of populations and fostering the inclusion of older people in every decision. This document intends to contribute to this strategy and highlight the upcoming challenges and opportunities around healthy aging through technology use.
Published in April 2023
Compendium of practices on innovative financing for smart sustainable cities projects
The compendium provides a practical insight on the types of projects that can improve sustainability and smartness of a city, combined with ideas on how they can be financed. Given the focus on financing in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, innovative financing of urban development projects is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally.
Published in January 2023