IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Smart Cities and Communities 2024 Predictions
This IDC study provides our top 10 predictions for Smart Cities and Communities."We have seen a rise in a strategic approach by municipalities to think of Smart City investments with an eye toward the future — future needs of the public, future scalability, and future disruption. We have also seen how tech innovation changes the landscape of services, policies, and skill sets with the rise in generative AI," said Ruthbea Yesner, vice president, Government Insights, Education, and Smart Cities and Communities at IDC. "As a result, more local and regional governments understand the need to get digital data and technology foundations to be better prepared to embrace current and future technologies to meet social, environmental, and financial outcomes."
Please Note: Extended description available upon request.
- IDC FutureScape Figure
- Executive Summary
- IDC FutureScape Predictions
- Summary of External Drivers
- Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers
- Prediction 1: In 2024, 75% of Cities and States Will Pilot GenAI to Improve Efficacy in Community Outreach and Customer Service, Procurement, Staff Recruitment and Training, and Software Development
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 2: Only 10% of Medium-Sized and Large Cities by 2024 Will Make Data Model Changes Required in Their Back-Office Application Landscapes to Prepare Data for AI, Advanced Analytics, and Collective Decision-Making
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 3: With As-a-Service Models Extending to Space in Multiple Orbits, by 2025, 30% of States and Provinces Will Use Satellite-Based Internet Connectivity to Bridge the Digital Divide and Reach Rural Areas
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 4: To Improve Constituent Engagement, by 2025, 40% of Large Cities in Asia and the Americas Region Will Pilot Online Journeys Using Voice and Text Conversations Leveraging Real-Time Contextual AI Tools
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 5: By 2025, 70% of Subnational Governments Will Deploy Hybrid Cloud to Protect Sensitive Information While Deploying Multicloud for Valued Services, Application Development, and Edge Data Integration
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 6: By 2026, Cyberattacks and Crimes Caused by Weaponized GenAI Will Impact 90% of Local and Regional Governments Driving Adoption of New Human-Centered Cybersecurity and Public Safety Approaches
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 7: By 2026, 50% of Local Governments Will Struggle to Realize Benefits from New Networking Investments, from Fiber to 5G, and Will Look to Professional Services Firms to Help Drive Utilization and Value
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 8: By 2027, 40% of States, Provinces, and Large Cities Will Deploy Spatial Computing to Create Immersive 3D Models and Digital Twins to Support Environmental and Urban Planning and Emergency Management
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 9: By 2028, 50% of Major Cities Will Upgrade Back- and Front-Office Technologies to Improve Employee Experiences and Recruit and Retain Workers with Critical Skills in Major Software and Cloud Platforms
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 10: By 2028, 60% of Major Cities Will Collaborate via Regional Ecosystems to Standardize ICT Frameworks, Leading Vendors to Adopt Open Standards and APIs for Smart Transportation and Climate Action
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Advice for Technology Buyers
- External Drivers: Detail
- AI Everywhere — Generative AI Takes the Spotlight
- The Drive to Automate — Maximizing Efficiency and New Opportunities
- Cybersecurity and Risk — Building Resilience Against Multiplying Threats
- The Digital Business Imperative — Competitiveness and Outcomes
- Everything as a Service Intensifies — Transforming Models to Drive Change
- Dynamic Work and Skills Requirements — New Work Mode Era
- Operationalization of ESG — Measuring and Implementing Sustainability
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- Related Research
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