I had just started my new job as Deputy Secretary for Technology and Innovation at the State of New York. As I stood in front of the whiteboard in my office, I paused and reflected on the role technology could play in improving the lives of New Yorkers. It was a moment of epiphany for me. \u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I wrote in a recent LinkedIn post,1<\/sup> I felt a mix of excitement and pressure. Recognizing that state and city governments were at a transitional phase as they redefined their identities, digital priorities, and technology investments. Today, four years later, the landscape has evolved dramatically, with generative AI emerging as a powerful new force for change by offering capabilities<\/a> that weren\u2019t imaginable before.\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is good news for city governments, large and small. I hear it directly in conversations with city leaders, many of whom are eager to begin using generative AI to solve problems across the myriad of challenges that they face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I look forward to Microsoft\u2019s upcoming participation in Smart City Expo World Congress 2023<\/a>\u2014the world\u2019s biggest and most influential event on urban innovation which takes place from November 7 to 9, in Barcelona, Spain\u2014we\u2019re excited to continue enabling city governments to put people first while using generative AI as part of their toolkits.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe key for smart cities: People at the center\u202f <\/h2>\n\n\n\n