澳门六合彩

In 2017, Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman launched an ambitious $500 billion project to develop 鈥淣eom,鈥� a futuristic 鈥渕egacity鈥� that would cover 10,230 square miles in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. Although the project has recent budget cuts and setbacks, it remains a major feature of Saudi Arabia鈥檚 鈥淰ision 2030鈥� agenda to modernize its economy.听听

Saudi Arabia is not alone in its ambitions. Large-scale 鈥渟mart city鈥� projects have expanded across the globe鈥攕preading across the Gulf, through the wider Middle East, and everywhere from India to Brazil. What鈥檚 more, many of these initiatives are fueled by the transfer and export of Chinese and other foreign technologies, indicating their potential as vehicles for geopolitical and economic influence while also raising human rights concerns. Their growth raises promise as well as perils for the future of urban governance around the world.听听

A rising trend听

So-called 鈥�smart cities鈥� leverage digital technologies to re-design urban living and governance. Facilitated by artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and other tools and processes, smart cities aim to offer solutions to improve everything from service delivery to security, building maintenance, and beyond. Drawing on city-wide networks of connected devices and sensors, governments can leverage new and emerging technologies to analyze data and implement tools and programs with greater accuracy and efficiency than ever before.听 听

These changes hold the potential to significantly transform societies, given the importance of cities for the global economy and the environment. The World Bank that by 2050, some seven in ten people will live in cities. Currently home to 56% of the world鈥檚 population, cities generate an estimated of global GDP. While many 鈥渟mart city鈥� development projects remain in the early stages, experts suggest they hold 鈥溾�� to improve quality of life, sustainability, and other metrics in the near future.听

Gulf states鈥� geography has also helped, as desert landscapes offer available space for construction, enabling ambitious infrastructure projects boosted by oil wealth and centralized power.听

One part of the world seeing major investment in the development of smart cities is the Gulf, where Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have launched large-scale projects backed by billions of dollars. These projects have helped GCC states in their quests to their economies, assert regional leadership, and enable further forms of top-down governance. Gulf states鈥� geography has also helped, as desert landscapes offer available space for construction, enabling ambitious infrastructure projects boosted by oil wealth and centralized power.听

Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced his plans for Neom only months after his appointment, in an effort aimed to signal his power and forward-looking ambitions for the country. But, the construction of Neom has faced setbacks and slowdowns. The kingdom鈥檚 Public Investment Fund has the approval of requisite budgets in the face of dips in its cash reserves. While the construction continued, only to live there by 2030 instead of the 1.5 million it once anticipated.听

In the neighboring United Arab Emirates, the $19 billion 鈥淢asdar City鈥� green-urban development project remains underway in Abu Dhabi. As part of its efforts, the Emirati government has been advancing research and development on 6G wireless technology alongside drone delivery technology, AI-facilitated traffic management systems, and other tech-facilitated programs.听听

In nearby Kuwait, as part of the country鈥檚 Vision 2035, the country has $4 billion in the development of the country鈥檚 first smart and 鈥済reen鈥� city, Saad Al-Abdullah, and announced ambitions to launch eight more smart cities in the future. The current aims to house 400,000 people connected by widespread technology-supported services, including smart energy monitors and infrastructure sensors, alongside new e-government initiatives aiming to digitize service delivery.听

Promise for services and sustainability听听

Smart cities offer for better municipal governance, improving efficiencies in everything from heating and waste management to public safety. Evidence that relevant technologies can reduce fatalities from auto collisions or fires in cities by at least 8% and reduce crimes by at least 30%.听听

Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Neom project has committed to supporting water desalination, solar and wind power, green hydrogen, and smart energy grids

These cities may also help improve climate and environmental outcomes, a top of mind in the Gulf, where efforts are underway to transition oil-reliant economies. GCC states of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, even though they are home to only 0.61% of the world鈥檚 population. As cities for major contributions of emissions, technology-facilitated urban reforms can help streamline and automate processes to conserve energy. The UAE鈥檚 Masdar City runs on power from a nearby solar farm and is supported by smart design to enable walking, natural ventilation, and other practices that help reduce emissions. Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Neom project has committed to supporting water desalination, solar and wind power, green hydrogen, and smart energy grids.听听

Sites for geopolitical influence听

Behind many of these projects are Chinese technology and investments. As , China has expanded its to build smart cities. It is home to massive digital infrastructure programs in major urban centers, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.听 听

China is, in turn, exporting its technologies around the world. This tech transfer is fuelling smart cities, which have become the application for Chinese AI exports behind medical imaging. The Gulf is a prime example. to the World Economic Forum, there has been a 鈥渟urge鈥� in tech investments between China and the GCC, which is boosted in part by and its related $79 billion . Middle Eastern countries are a of Chinese technology transfer and investments. In Saudi Arabia, Chinese company鈥疕uawei鈥痟as announced plans to invest some鈥�痠n the country鈥檚 cloud region over the next five years. Huawei has also reportedly in a new security program in the UAE, 鈥減olice without a policeman.鈥� Kuwait鈥檚 Saad Al-Abdullah City housing project was to China鈥檚 Gezhouba Group for construction, and indicate that Chinese company Alibaba is working to store cloud data in Oman.听

Risks for repression听

Smart cities bring risks and can easily become sites for geopolitical influence or repressive government agendas. Many raised about the spread of China鈥檚 technology to the Gulf, especially given many of the relevant companies鈥� ties to the Chinese government.听听

These projects can put immense power in the hands of authoritarian governments, giving them access to vast amounts of personal data with the ability to track, geolocate, and otherwise surveil citizens. The Gulf states could leverage technology to enhance crackdowns on dissenters or target specific groups. Such potential is visible elsewhere in the world, as authoritarian regimes have benefitted from Chinese tech transfer to suppress democratic movements. Iran鈥檚 surveillance capabilities , boosted by exports of Chinese video recorders, and were used in turn to on protesters calling for democratic change and women鈥檚 rights. In this case, Iran allegedly a network of urban cameras to surveil women鈥檚 public movements, using AI to identify those who did not cover their hair appropriately. Just as China鈥檚 government is criticized for its use of AI-facilitated technology and anti-democratic practices, so too are Gulf States, whose repressive practices by smart city tools and data.听

Yet another concern is that the physical construction of such cities comes with human costs. In 2020, the controversial development of Saudi Arabia鈥檚 smart city Neom led to reported forced evictions and even the of one activist who protested its construction.听听

A smart approach 听

US policymakers concerned with the ethical development of technology governance should keep a close eye on the rise of smart cities in the Gulf. While they offer promise for global climate progress, their rise also brings clear risks. The United States, the European Union, and other actors should leverage their influence to monitor and safeguard the ways that technologies from US private firms are used in urban development abroad while ensuring investments in standards for ethical urban governance at home. Iran鈥檚 of surveillance technology from Chinese company Tiandy, for example, prompted US sanctions in the past. Reports of Iran鈥檚 use of surveillance cameras from German company Bosch have prompted new鈥� into the company鈥檚 deployment abroad.

The rise of the Gulf鈥檚 smart cities鈥攊ncluding the news of recent setbacks governments have faced in financing these aspirational projects鈥攚ill be critical to track.听听

The use of AI technologies for repression in the Gulf, including technologies from US and European firms, will require close tracking. Western companies must ensure they do not contribute to the repressive toolkit governments hold to enact violence or suppress movements. The US and other nations can also consider new sanctions,鈥痑s it has done in the against foreign companies whose technologies have supported repressive surveillance. The rise of the Gulf鈥檚 smart cities鈥攊ncluding the news of recent setbacks governments have faced in financing these aspirational projects鈥攚ill be critical to track. Those interested in the connections between technology and safe, fair, and equitable urban development worldwide should be sure to take note of their expansion in the Gulf.听

鈥�The views represented in this piece are those of the author and do not express the official position of 澳门六合彩.鈥��听