The Global Observatory Of Urban AI Narratives

The Global Observatory of Urban AI Narratives (GOUAIN) is an initiative led by URBAN AI dedicated to exploring and reimagining how artificial intelligence is framed and understood in cities around the world. Its mission is to map AI narratives at the local level—on a global scale—to compare prevailing discourses and surface new, alternative narratives that move beyond dominant themes of surveillance, optimization, and control. Instead, it aims to foster people-centered, localized, and imaginative visions for urban AI. The GOUAIN draws on local forums and partner events—spaces where AI is discussed with a wide range of local stakeholders—as key input. These moments of dialogue are documented and analyzed to identify trends, tensions, and innovations in urban AI storytelling, contributing to a richer and more pluralistic global narrative landscape. Contact: hubert@urbanai.fr

Urban AI Forum 🌍

Urban AI Forums are in-person events co-organized by URBAN AI and partners, designed to explore and debate the role of AI in cities from a local perspective. Each forum is individually analyzed and placed in dialogue with others, contributing to a comparative mapping of urban AI narratives across regions. This approach helps identify both shared patterns and locally distinct visions for the future of AI in cities.

Cuenca Urban AI Forum

Partner Events 📅

Partner Events are independantly organized by local or institutional partners and integrated into the work of The GOUAIN. While not curated by URBAN AI, these events are analyzed as part of the GOUAIN's effort. They offer valuable insights into alternative, underexplored, and locally grounded visions of how AI could shape urban futures beyond dominant global discourses.

Montreux Jazz Festival

Beyond narratives of surveillance, control, and optimization: This partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival aims to explore alternative narratives for the deployment of AI in cities—narratives that highlight the festive, convivial, and inclusive dimensions of urban life. It investigates how the Festival transforms Montreux, reshaping its urban identity and rhythms. The project focuses on: Uncovering new narratives that enrich the city’s urbanity—around music, intercultural dialogue, celebration, and collective experience Understanding the populations it attracts and the flows it generates—cultural, economic, and spatial Through this lens, the GOUAIN brings attention to how urban AI can support inclusive, joyful, and locally rooted urban futures. It seeks to (re)connect AI with the lived, cultural, and social experiences of the city.

AI and Cities International Forum

URBAN AI co-organized with UF College of Design Construction and Planning a panel dedicated to "AI and Ethics", as part of the "AI and Cities: International Forum For Innovation and Collaboration" Conference. This session delved into the ethical challenges and opportunities that arise at the intersection of artificial intelligence and urban environments. Together with leading experts, we examined how ethical principles can be meaningfully embedded into AI-powered tools, decision-making processes, and urban governance frameworks. With: ➡️ Riccardo M. Villa, Postdoctoral Researcher at Technische Universität Wien. ➡️ Brisotto Carla, Assistant Director Urbanism at Florida Institute for Built Environment. ➡️ Karla Saldaña Ochoa, Assistant Professor at University of Florida. ➡️ Hubert Beroche, Director of Urban AI. ➡️ Shazade Jameson, Project Officer at UNESCO.

Nantes Débat de l'IA

"In March 2024, Nantes Métropole launched a listening and observation initiative to better understand how artificial intelligence is being discussed and imagined across its territory. Under the label “Nantes Débat de l’IA,” a rich harvest of local events, productions, and public exchanges was gathered and independently analyzed by URBAN AI. In total, nearly 50+ events were integrated into this territorial analysis—ranging from citizen cafés and hackathons to dystopian workshops, roundtables, and academic conferences. The raw material was entrusted to URBAN AI. Their in-depth analytical methodology focuses on the forms of expression and discourse emerging from local contexts. It enables the identification and mapping of key themes, actors, and narratives shaping the conversation on AI in Nantes. This approach not only reveals narrative elements that are unique to Nantes, but also sheds light on how they align with or diverge from the ways other territories are interpreting and appropriating AI." (Source: Nantes Métropole)

CODEV IA

The Paris-Saclay Urban Community organized a special session of its Development Council—a civic participation body—dedicated to artificial intelligence. This participatory event brought together a diverse range of local stakeholders, including citizens, universities, and businesses, to engage in a collective reflection on AI at the territorial level. The goal was to listen to and analyze local narratives and needs surrounding AI, as expressed by those directly involved in its development and impact. URBAN AI co-organized the event and conducted a narrative analysis, translating the insights into a set of policy-oriented recommendations. This work aimed to align territorial narratives with actionable strategies for the governance and responsible deployment of AI by The Paris-Saclay Urban Community.

🏙️ Urban Fragments

"Urban Fragments" are situated reflections from individuals responding to simple yet profound questions: What is a good city? What matters in urban life? Participants are invited to answer in the language and form that feels most natural to them—whether through poetry, economic concepts, personal reflections, quotes, drawings... The emphasis is on freedom of expression and local specificity.

Aliveness

"→ Tener acceso • a naturaleza • redes de conocimiento • cultura • espacios comunes no comerciales → Poder movilizarme de forma libre → Habilidad de conectar distintas expertises para potenciar habilidades individuales + generar innovación / productividad Aliveness" English translation "→ Having access • to nature • knowledge networks • culture • non-commercial common spaces → Being able to move freely → Ability to connect different expertises to enhance individual skills and generate innovation / productivity Aliveness" By Mateo Neira

Safety

"Streets that allow social dynamics and are flexible to the use people want to give them" "Safety & Security Green space & vegetation" By Elsa Bustos

Walkable City

"WALKABLE CITY FOR PEOPLE Beautiful well preserved buildings Greenery Good Infrastructure – sidewalks (continuous) – parks – bike lanes – stations Affordable Housing Safety Sustainable Transport – properly connect lines" By Pamela Zhindón

Safe

"A city that invites you to use it because it is safe, and the different places are close, and also has appropriate facilities/infrastructure for everyone." By Galo Carrión

Informed

"Un día en la ciudad 1️⃣ Casas 2️⃣ Buses 3️⃣ Instituciones educativas 4️⃣ Tiendas de barrio servicios: farmacia - comida - papelería - gimnasio 5️⃣ Parques - Naturaleza Clínicas Trabajos One word: Informed (Predicción / toma de decisiones) (Democracia líquida)" English version : "A day in the city 1️⃣ Homes 2️⃣ Buses 3️⃣ Educational institutions 4️⃣ Neighborhood stores services: pharmacy – food – stationery – gym 5️⃣ Parks – Nature Clinics Jobs One word: Informed Prediction / decision-making Liquid democracy" Lis Molina

La vivienda digna

"03 / 06 / 25 • La vivienda digna • Infraestructura de servicios • Conexiones - relaciones ¿Qué es lo esencial en la ciudad? → calidad del entorno construido → vivienda, infraestructura, transporte → que permite el desarrollo de las relaciones y conexiones humanas. La ciudad es el conjunto de entorno construido que sirve como escenario para las relaciones y conexiones humanas." English version: "• Decent housing • Service infrastructure • Connections – relationships What is essential in the city? → Quality of the built environment → housing, infrastructure, transportation → that enables the development of human relationships and connections. The city is the sum of the built environment that serves as a stage for human relationships and connections." By Paula Narváez

Carpe Diem

"➡️ For me is very important that a city have plenty places animal friendly. ❝I am the master of my destiny, the own of my soul❞ ➡️ "Carpe Diem" ➡️ "I have Multitudes" Walt Whitman pet friendly easy to explore – appropriate for kids – It is easy for kids, is easy for everyone. near places of interest Empathy → equality for everyone" By Camila Obando.

Usado por la gente

"Fácil de cruzar la calle y caminar. Infraestructura que pueda ser utilizada por todos en cualquier momento • edad • género • habilidades Naturaleza Cerca del hogar: servicios, escuelas, tiendas, parques Espacios comunes Te invita a usarlo Usado por la gente" English version : "Easy to cross the street and walk Infrastructure that can be used by everyone at any time • age • gender • abilities Nature Close to home: services, schools, stores, parks Communal spaces Invites you to use it Used by people" By Emilia Acurio

The city...

"The city… Exercise Green Spaces Experiences and Fun Easy Transportation Health Services Community and Family spaces Good work opportunities Art and Education" By Gustavo Maldonado Gil

Nature

"Nature Social cohesion Healthy environment (air / water) Accessibility to services Affordability" By Adriana Oucapas

One Health

"DATA: Activity in open space – GPS traces / observation Questionnaires Air quality monitoring Water quality and availability Assessment of quality availability Segregación espacial: socioeconómico Percepción inseguridades / acoso Censo Índices micro / macro económicos (tasa desempleo) y población educación → ONE HEALTH → SOCIAL COHESION → ECONOMIC Aplicación de ML tomando variables que influyen en calidad del aire para estimar un modelo predictivo de calidad ambiental que las personas puedan consultar para decidir su actividad. Especialmente diferenciando." English version: "DATA: Activity in open space – GPS traces / observation Questionnaires Air quality monitoring Water quality and availability Assessment of quality and availability Spatial segregation: socioeconomic Perception of insecurity / harassment Census Micro / macro economic indicators (unemployment rate) and education level of the population → ONE HEALTH → SOCIAL COHESION → ECONOMIC Application of ML (Machine Learning), using variables that influence air quality to estimate a predictive model of environmental quality that people can consult in order to decide on their activities. Specifically differentiated." By Francisco Calderón

Safe Children

"Importante Áreas verdes: purifican Arbolado como separador de vereda y calle Ciclovías Kids / Safe childrens (Illustration of a group of people around a table labeled:) City design" English version "Important Green areas: purify Trees as a separator between sidewalk and street Bike lanes Kids / Safe children (Illustration of a group around a table labeled:) City design"

Integration

"Integration is important to connect all actors with a purpose in common"

Agua limpia para todos

"- Lo más importante 1 - Hospitales - (1) 2 - Escuela - (1) 3 - Ciclovías - (2) 4 - Farmacia - (1) 5 - Transporte público de calidad - (2) 6 - Mercados con productos orgánicos - (2) 7 - Bibliotecas - (1) 8 - Librerías - (3) 9 - Universidades - (1) 10 - Parks green areas - (2) Lo más importante es tener agua limpia para todos 💧 Thanks for all :)" English version: "- The most important 1 - Hospitals - (1) 2 - School - (1) 3 - Bike lanes - (2) 4 - Pharmacy - (1) 5 - Quality public transport - (2) 6 - Markets with organic products - (2) 7 - Libraries (public) - (1) 8 - Bookstores - (3) 9 - Universities - (1) 10 - Parks / green areas - (2) The most important thing is to have clean water for everyone 💧 Thanks for all :)" By 🟢 Fernanda Sánchez

Home

"Cities need green spaces to breathe walkable streets where people meet Public transport to ease the way Safe and fair homes for all to stay Innovative solutions to a sustainable fate The old, the young, we all belong a city for everyone A city where everyone could one day call it HOME 2025 / Ecuador" By Krystell Figueroa Rubio