IBM plans AI solutions for urban growth

Global technology giant IBM has announced plans to combat the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation by deploying artificial intelligence tools designed to help cities develop sustainably.

In a statement to The Punch on Monday, the company revealed that its AI-powered solutions, in partnership with Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), aim to assist policymakers in developing regions to map urban growth and identify critical infrastructure and energy needs.

The solutions are aimed at assisting policymakers and decision-makers, particularly in developing regions, to assess urbanisation trends and identify energy and infrastructure needs for rapidly growing communities.

The AI tools, part of IBM’s Sustainability Accelerator program, are designed to offer data-driven insights that can help cities plan and develop infrastructure that meets the demands of expanding populations while promoting environmental sustainability.
The Corporate Social Responsibility Leader for Africa & the Middle East at IBM, John Matogo, stated, “At IBM, we’re proud to launch solutions that harness the power of artificial intelligence to have an impact for communities around the world.”
“Collaborating with organizations such as Sustainable Energy for All through our IBM Sustainability Accelerator program helps us unlock innovation and work more closely in communities to tackle some of our biggest challenges, especially around energy and sustainable urban development.”

The CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi, said, “At Sustainable Energy for All, we believe that integrating AI in the energy sector planning and evidence—especially for developing countries—will go a long way in designing comprehensive solutions for many of the developmental challenges currently facing the Global South and its people.
“The Open Building Insights Tool, that SEforALL has developed in collaboration with IBM, will help energy planners overcome critical data gap challenges to inform energy access and energy transition interventions and better deliver results for those most in need.”

In 2022, IBM began collaborating with SEforALL through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program. First, IBM worked with the SEforALL team through the IBM Garage, IBM’s  collaborative engagement model.

During the IBM Garage phase of the project, the organizations conceptualized and designed two AI solutions and an online platform to create a current and future view of buildings in regions of Africa and India.