Well, according to top10.com, which ranked the top 10 cities in America that use ‘smart technology’ like artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things (IoT) to modernize and improve their existing infrastructure and public services as well as maximize potential for economic and social mobility.
Washington, D.C. is one of the top ‘smart’ cities in America
Washington, D.C. was ranked the #2 ‘smartest’ city in the country, being one of only two cities in America to receive an A rating in the 2020 Global Smart City Index, the other being New York City which took the top spot. One core reason is the amount of easy remote access to information throughout the city, the use of online cam-style websites allowing Washingtonians to monitor crowd size of select attractions separates Washington, D.C. from tourist-heavy other towns, making it easy for locals to circumnavigate the out-of-town crowds seamlessly.
Other developments and improvements that they considered a factor included:
- The online suggestion platform that is dedicated to empowering Washington, D.C. residents so that they can provide new ideas to improve their quality of life.
- Availability of information online regarding local government decisions.
Washington, D.C.’s best smart initiative
According to the study, the best ‘smart’ initiative that Washington, D.C. has had recently was its use of high-tech video sensors that monitored, counted, and classified movement around the city (bikes, cars, pedestrians, etc.) to measure traffic volume and flow. Using this data, Washington, D.C. has been able to make more informed decisions for things like improving city operations by adjusting public transit and also to make better decisions regarding economic planning!
Well aside from New York City at #1 and Washington, D.C. as the #2 spot, here are the remaining cities that rounded out the top 10.
- #3 – Boston, MA
- #4 – San Francisco, CA
- #5 – Seattle, WA
- #6 – Denver, CO
- #7 – Los Angeles, CA
- #8 – Columbus, OH
- #9 – Austin, TX
- #10 – Pittsburgh, PA