Image : At Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei (from left): Mike Manson; Grant Smith – Mayor of Palmerston North; and Sarah Morris – GM People and Capability, Palmerston North City Council.
Mike Manson, Chief Executive of the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM).
Learning new ways of doing things and seeing others’ approaches to solving problems really inspires me. So, you can imagine my excitement when I was invited, alongside Palmerston North City Council Mayor Grant Smith, to the Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE) in Taipei.
I mentioned in last month’s (April 2025) article that I was attending this, and the conference was mind-blowing. Over four days, we met global leaders from 59 countries who are championing Smart Communities, saw AI in action and learned about technology that is redesigning urban living. The passion behind these projects was palpable, and I want to share some of my key learnings to encourage more collaboration for a smarter local government future.
One of the key talking points of the conference was the rise and use of Agentic AI. This system doesn’t need constant guidance from humans; instead, it can act independently to solve complex problems. Agentic AI is opening doors. It’s shifting how we use real-time data to make our roads safer, how banks can protect their customers from cyber fraud and how the healthcare sector can better look after patients.
For example, we saw a new AI tool that performs a simple eye scan to detect cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiac age in patients. No needles, no CT scans, no waiting lists, just fast, accurate diagnostics. I can’t help but wonder how these tools could transform healthcare delivery here.
And, of course, councils around the globe are already using technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to provide a more citizen-centric approach to service delivery. Seeing first-hand Taipei’s thriving startup scene, which pushes the boundaries of AI development, was seriously impressive.
The Taipei City Government, in collaboration with Hon Hai Precision Industry, has rolled out a framework called CityGPT. This AI-powered urban management system has been designed to improve city operations and public services. For example, their traffic lights don’t operate on a timer – instead, they analyse traffic data at the moment to ease congestion around the city. I think this could work so well in our larger centres like Auckland during rush hour or when there is an international rugby game that brings more visitors and traffic to the city.
This system allows Taipei to implement smart EV buses and intelligent bus stops that can provide users with accurate arrival times and delays. CityGPT also powers citizen-friendly touchscreen kiosks around the city. These allow residents to easily find local service information, including healthcare providers, transport options, council services and other resources.
We also discovered a great example of the ways local authorities are using technology for public safety in the form of smart poles and CCTV. These are primarily stationed at bus stops and incorporate AI-powered monitoring to detect threatening behaviour, which then immediately triggers an alert to a centralised control centre. The alert is then sent directly to local authorities and the police, alongside live footage, for immediate assessment. This helps police and first responders to act quickly in addressing crime, antisocial behaviour, and other emergency situations.
Using this system, the AI can also listen to emergency calls, figure out what’s happening while the caller is still talking and send an automated text-based message to the right responders even before the call ends.
Communities around the world are now able to interact with services more intuitively – sometimes more easily than ordering a coffee on their phone. Whether it’s paying a parking fine, booking an appointment or accessing social services, the user experience is at the heart of how councils overseas are delivering these urban services.
How can we take these learnings and apply them here?
I believe the first step must be bridging the digital divide. I’ve previously talked about councils across our country who are already working towards this and doing it well, like Selwyn District Council, who, through Elle Archer, co-created a framework to provide everyone fair access to digital technology. Along with closing the digital divide, a few other key takeaways stood out to me.
Firstly, collaboration is key. Some of the best smart city initiatives I’ve seen come from strong partnerships between councils, tech companies, and researchers. Working together can drive innovation and investment in ways that wouldn’t be possible alone.
But the technology alone isn’t enough; public buy-in matters. Taiwan has done this exceptionally well, making sure residents understand and trust smart technology by clearly demonstrating its benefits. When people see how it improves their daily lives, they’re more likely to embrace it.
Smart solutions also don’t have to be huge or expensive to make a difference, but they need to be scalable. Every community is different, and technology should be adaptable to fit local needs, whether it’s a big city or a small town. Smart Communities also need to be resilient, able to withstand challenges, adapt to change and recover quickly. That means infrastructure needs to be both sustainable and designed to support future generations.
And finally, as we use AI more and more, we need to make data governance a top priority. Clear policies on data security and ethical AI practices will ensure we’re protecting privacy while still harnessing the benefits of new technology.
Singapore presented how it is doing this effectively through its Model AI Governance Framework, first launched in 2018. This framework gives all public and private organisations a clear set of best practice guidelines to follow when using AI, emphasising transparency, fairness and human-centred values. We are looking into developing something very similar here at ALGIM, with the aim of sharing this key resource with councils up and down the country. I’ll be sure to keep all councils posted on this as it progresses.
To wrap things up, I was in awe of what I saw at the SCSE. Our local councils are already doing great work in the Smart Communities space, but we need to continue to work together – across councils, with tech companies, and alongside our communities.
After all, Smart Communities aren’t just about fancy tech – it’s about making life easier, safer, and more connected for everyone. The future is full of possibilities, and it is here – are you ready for it?