Governing the Ethical AI City: Mitigating Algorithmic Vulnerabilities in Smart Urban Infrastructure

Authors

  • Reazul Ahsan Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah (Asia Campus), Incheon, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7238-2028 Author
  • Sung Jin Park CEO SPARK CITY, Seoul, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5126-2609 Author
  • Yejin Kim Kim Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah (Asia Campus), Incheon, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8497-2791 Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59543/pj17de58

Keywords:

Algorithmic governance, Smart city ethics, Urban artificial intelligence deployment, Cyber-physical infrastructure, Spatial justice

Abstract

Algorithmic governance must take a crucial urban turn in light of the swift shift from data-informed smart cities to autonomously adaptive artificial intelligence (AI) cities. Although there are international frameworks for AI ethics, they do not address the systemic, infrastructural, and spatial issues that arise when deploying AI at the city level. By presenting urban settings as dynamic ethical subjects rather than passive technology nodes, this article expands the conceptual paradigm of the Ethical AI City. We identify key vulnerabilities in existing smart-city cyber-physical systems by analyzing growing systemic occurrences ranging from algorithmic bias and autonomous car failures to mass surveillance. We contend that integrating ethical protections directly into intelligent public infrastructure is necessary to ensure democratic resilience, equality, and spatial justice. Lastly, we suggest a socio-technical roadmap that leverages cross-sectoral governance models, transparent algorithmic audits, and participatory design. This framework provides actionable insights for urban planners, system engineers, and policymakers designing the next generation of resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities.

Author Biographies

  • Reazul Ahsan, Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah (Asia Campus), Incheon, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7238-2028

    Dr Reazul Ahsan is an Associate Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah and leads the Urban Ecology Program at its Asia Campus in South Korea. With over 15 years of international academic experience, his work focuses on sustainable urban planning, smart cities, and climate-adaptive design. He has held research and teaching positions at leading institutions, including MIT, Kyoto University, and the University of New South Wales, and is an active speaker on human-centred urban innovation.

  • Sung Jin Park, CEO SPARK CITY, Seoul, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5126-2609

    Dr. Sung Jin Park is a scholar-practitioner specializing in smart cities, urban AI, and technology governance. She holds a Ph.D. in Planning, Policy, and Design from the University of California, Irvine, and is the author of Seoul: Tale of a Smart City.

    With over a decade of experience as a smart city consultant at Samsung and LG, Dr. Park has led smart city and digital transformation initiatives in Korea and internationally, including the Sejong and Busan National Pilot Smart Cities.

  • Yejin Kim Kim, Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah (Asia Campus), Incheon, South Korea. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8497-2791

    Undergraduate students of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah.

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Published

2026-08-07

How to Cite

Ahsan, R., Park, S. J., & Kim, Y. K. (2026). Governing the Ethical AI City: Mitigating Algorithmic Vulnerabilities in Smart Urban Infrastructure. Journal of Urban Intelligence and Smart Systems, 1, 130-150. https://doi.org/10.59543/pj17de58

Issue

Vol. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles