The cities of the future and the intelligence

(Wrote this text in 2017, pre-covid-19. Decided to recover it now that a lot of was written and thought back then, is coming to a dangerous and despicable reality)

“Our future is much too important to be left to algorithms and intelligent machines...'

We live in days of ecstasy. Cities around the world had become hubs of technology and innovation. And those who have not yet taken this path will be a matter of time before embarking on this machine that puts the future in the present and projects the past for the future.

In 10 years we will reach, they say, a moment of "singularity", in that the power of the computation will be equal to the power of the human mind being able to, besides, go beyond it.

It is the time of taking several decisions and some difficult ones. Routine jobs will be substituted by machines and, section after section, industry after industry, they already set today the effects of the technology to put upon to the human capacities. Soon 50% of the jobs will be automated. It can mean a drama, but also an opportunity. It is time for us to choose, based on the future that we are already to live intensely in the present, new roads, moderately technological or radically humans. Furthermore, it suited that was balanced.

But they need, above all, of putting in all the plans that this still is not materialized with "zeros and some": compassion, love, ethics, morals, and mystery. And also the design and the arts.

We are in need of serious introspection about what is human, what "people" are. No longer can we return behind in time, but we can still promote actions that, with technology that will always be present in our lives, allow us to be happy with other people.

And in today's world, fixed on screens, to get in touch with bots or view virtual scenarios, this detail makes the difference. Interact with people. Share the pains and joys, live with an authentic and genuine soul that we still have in Portugal and that the ZOOM SMART CITIES 2017 put in evidence, for which the exciting future does not destroy our glorious past. And it is in the present that we have the tools to avoid that this destiny doesn't decide for algorithms or machines.

This will be the true Smart City of people.