Page 12 - A U4SSC deliverable - Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies

An SSC can be defined as follows:

“A smart sustainable city is an innovative city that uses information and communication
technologies (ICTs) and other means to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation
and services, and competitiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future
generations with respect to economic, social, environmental as well as cultural aspects.”

Recommendation ITU-T Y.4900

ICTs are core enablers of frontier technologies. They provide the digital infrastructure for data processing
and analysis, both of which are crucial for frontier technologies. Access to the Internet is also essential
for citizens to participate in the digital economy and for cities to improve their overall sustainability
and economic competitiveness. As the implementation of a specific frontier technology does not in
itself guarantee positive impact, cities need to adopt frameworks that are rooted in global values and
must also develop a human-centric approach to technology, one that will ensure advancement in the
development and utilisation of these technologies, without leaving anyone behind.

2 Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies | A U4SSC deliverable