At the core of the new technologies’ advances, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is certainly one of the most powerful, suggesting unexpected and still undiscovered possibilities. From human life to planet life expectancy, researchers and entrepreneurs are continually giving life to solid innovative solutions to enhance the present and shape the future.

With AI4CITIES, expert SME’s will frame, jointly with the six cities and regions, the technical AI-based solutions that can help cities reach their objectives to commit to a sustainable and appropriate carbon neutral city vision.

Since the Paris Region enrolled in the AI4CITIES project, the region’s actors have been asked and solicited to share their needs and visions in terms of carbon neutral strategies. Cap Digital, as the leader of the project for the region, conducted actions in order to shape the challenges that would fit the strategic objectives of the territory’s actors. With this aim, local and public authorities have been interviewed to establish a first relevant and tailor-made list of challenges.

A dedicated webinar gathering 80 participants has been organized to present the project and the PCP instrument with the exclusive participation of local authorities’ representatives. The participants were given use cases from the region territories with the expressed needs and strategies envisioned.

To better understand and assist local authorities and SME’s with their strategies, Cap Digital conducted a survey to analyze the scope of their needs and expectations. In total, 42 respondents – 31 SMEs and 11 public or local authorities — have been questioned to evaluate their interest for the proposed challenges in the energy and mobility fields.

These actions led Cap Digital to the establishment of the final list of the challenges that will be proposed to the participants. These are the challenges that have reached the top rank priority for most of the respondents.

MOBILITY Lot

• Inclusive and Accessible Transportation System and Public Space
• Mobility as a Service: Real-time multimodal information for citizens, including public transit, roads, parking, new modes of transportation and ticketing options
• Understanding passenger behaviour through disaggregated models
• Developing, promoting and encouraging cycling and active mobility
• Better understanding the potential demand for new modes of travel and developing a model of these emerging mobilities

ENERGY Lot

• Energy retrofitting and energy efficiency of buildings
• Integrating renewable energies within buildings
• Defining a strategy for the development of renewable energies in the territory
• Smart-Grid
• Raising citizens' awareness of their energy consumption and motivating them to reduce it