By: Dr. Chelsea McCullough, Strategic Advisor, Smart Cities, TechConnect

Depending on whom you ask, the term “smart city” has been in popular use for nearly two decades. In December 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched the Smart City Challenge, accelerating the development and integration of technology into urban environments. That same period marked the launch of the first Smart Cities Connect Conference, which brought together leaders in technology and government to explore how cities could improve services for all residents.

More than a decade later, where does local innovation stand? What has changed, what have we learned, and which priorities will shape the future? These are the questions we will explore during the closing keynote panel, “The State of the Smart City 2026: Defining What’s Next.”

Technology has evolved dramatically, particularly with the emergence of AI, but the future of smart cities extends well beyond the digital sphere. It also depends on resilient infrastructure, innovative partnerships, effective governance, and more meaningful approaches to improving resident outcomes.

Panelist Dr. Michelle Cruz, a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow with the City of Newport News, Virginia, explains:

“The next generation of smart cities won’t be defined simply by how much technology we deploy, but by how well we actively listen and how wisely we use technology, data, partnerships, and place to improve people’s everyday lives. The measure of a smart city isn’t simply what it can do. It’s what it makes possible for its people: the opportunity to belong, to participate, to move, to work, and ultimately, to thrive. That is how we build cities not only for people, but with them.”

Dr. Cruz’s perspective reflects a central theme of Smart Cities Connect Conference: smart city solutions are not defined by technology alone, but by the relationships among government, residents, communities, and industry partners. To anticipate and address residents’ needs, practitioners must work across data silos and organizational boundaries.

The panel will also feature Henry J. Lofton, Jr., Deputy Chief Technology Officer in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer in Washington, D.C., and Ben Moebes, Vice President of Sales at Ericsson. Together, the panelists will examine how digital infrastructure, software, and services are evolving to address today’s urban challenges, from governance frameworks that protect privacy to technologies designed to meet rising expectations for responsive service delivery.

“The State of the Smart City 2026” will explore the key trends, challenges, and opportunities influencing the future of cities. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what will define the next generation of smart communities and new ideas for how they can help shape that future.

Join us at Smart Cities Connect Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Wednesday, September 23, at 3:10 p.m. ET for “The State of the Smart City 2026: Defining What’s Next.”