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In this episode, Kat Sliwa, Partner in Toronto and leader of the Dentons Municipal Planning, Land Use and Development Law group, moderates a dynamic discussion from the Smart Cities Expo World Congress in Barcelona with Todd Daubert, Partner in Washington, DC and head of the Dentons US Technology Privacy & Cybersecurity team. The panel also features:
- Taj Forer — Chief Product Officer, H&S Ventures and Litehouse
- Megan Higgins — Partner and Data Intelligence Leader, PwC UK
- Jacqueline Lu — CEO and Founder, Helpful Places, and Urbanist-in-Residence at the School of Cities at the University of Toronto
Together, they explore how the concept of a "smart city" has evolved from a focus on automation and efficiency to a landscape shaped by AI, machine learning and pervasive connectivity.
In an era of rapid innovation, ensuring that AI-driven systems serve people first is key to building sustainable, connected and inclusive communities. Success also depends on maintaining a focus on real-world challenges and selecting technology that is appropriate for the task, rather than being sidetracked by every new capability emerging tools present.
The panel emphasizes that successful smart cities are not built on technology alone. Public trust, transparent governance and meaningful community engagement are central to creating urban environments that serve people first. They also examine the challenges of navigating increasingly interconnected systems that span public and private domains and discuss strategies for applying technology thoughtfully to solve real-world urban problems.
Dentons is the world's first polycentric global law firm. A top 20 firm on the Acritas 2015 Global Elite Brand Index, the Firm is committed to challenging the status quo in delivering consistent and uncompromising quality and value in new and inventive ways. Driven to provide clients a competitive edge, and connected to the communities where its clients want to do business, Dentons knows that understanding local cultures is crucial to successfully completing a deal, resolving a dispute or solving a business challenge. Now the world's largest law firm, Dentons' global team builds agile, tailored solutions to meet the local, national and global needs of private and public clients of any size in more than 125 locations serving 50-plus countries. www.dentons.com
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