AI opens new direction for smart city management

The workshop "AI in Management and Management of Smart Cities" took place within the framework of the Vietnam - Asia Smart City Summit 2025.

In the context of AI becoming the foundational technology of the digital age, applying Al to urban governance and operation is not only an inevitable trend but also an urgent requirement to improve the efficiency of state management, the quality of public services and the experience of the people.

The workshop "AI in Smart Urban Governance and Operation" was held to clarify the legal corridor and policy orientation on AI; share practical experiences from the central to local levels; introduce typical Al platforms and solutions being deployed in Vietnam and internationally.

Presenting a speech at the Workshop, Mr. Pham Quang Nhat Minh - Director of the AI Research and Development Center, FPT IS ( FPT Corporation) said that urban areas are facing a situation of "decision overload" when the data volume increases rapidly but analysis tools are still limited.

According to Mr. Minh, artificial intelligence contributes to supporting the government to gradually shift from a reactionary operating model to a more proactive approach. Thereby, supporting leaders in analyzing big data, simulating policies and early detection of potential risks in urban management.

Mr. Minh also shared his experience in applying AI in the public sector, in which AI is deployed in three main layers including supporting strategic decision making, optimizing operations and improving people's experience. AI systems can automate large-volume business processes, infrastructure forecasting, traffic monitoring, environment, security and personalization of public services, but still ensure that humans play the role of final decision-making.

From the perspective of digital infrastructure enterprises, Ms. Phan Thi Thanh Ngoc - Deputy Director of AI application consulting, VNPT AI said that the trend of smart cities is shifting strongly from the digital stage to urban operations based on data and artificial intelligence. According to Ms. Ngoc, AI is considered the "brain" of smart cities, helping authorities analyze real-time data, forecast risks, coordinate traffic, manage infrastructure and improve the effectiveness of public service monitoring.

Ms. Ngoc also emphasized the role of shared data platforms, intelligent operating centers (IOC) and AI assistants in supporting leaders in monitoring socio-economic situations, handling administrative procedures and enhancing two-way interaction with people.

From local experience, Mr. Tran Ngoc Thach - representative of the Department of Science and Technology of Da Nang City shared his experience in applying AI and open data in urban management. According to Mr. Thach, Da Nang has implemented smart cities since 2018, using data as a platform and gradually applying AI to monitor, warn and support decision-making for authorities at all levels.

Currently, the city has built an open data portal with more than 1,500 sets of data, serving the government, businesses and the community to develop smart urban applications. AI is applied in monitoring administrative procedures, monitoring floods, traffic, environment, security, order and natural disaster prevention, contributing to reducing late records and improving the quality of service for people.

The presentations at the Workshop show that AI is becoming an important tool in smart city governance and operation. However, the implementation needs to be linked with a synchronous data infrastructure, an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism and a suitable roadmap to ensure efficiency, transparency and people-to-people center.

According to the Organizing Committee, the workshop is expected to bring practical lessons, clear policy recommendations and feasible models for localities to apply immediately.