Artificial Intelligence and Urban health: a step forward to the achievement of SDGs

Abstract

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognized the transformative power of urbanization with a dedicated goal (SDG11) focused on cities. This represents a pivotal first step to empower cities, also technologically, enabling new levels of intelligence and showing the need to become smarter. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart cities bring a multidisciplinary, integrated approach, examining how the digital and physical worlds are converging. The AI-based algorithms are overcoming the provision of urban services entering the realms of urban governance, planning, health, and safety. The aim of this study is to review how digital technologies and AI-based algorithms can influence and transform urban health. A scoping review of the literature was conducted using the Population, Concept, Context (PCC) framework to formulate the research question. A comprehensive search strategy will be implemented according to the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Major electronic databases were queried combining specific keywords. In addition, the search was completed by a snowball-search to identify missing articles. Out of a total of 1150 publications, 8 were identified as relevant to the research question. Among these articles, 43% and 35% reported findings from Europe and North America respectively. Evidence from the literature primarily focuses on the integration of smart city networks (sensor, people, business), based on AI, and urban health with different impacts on the health conditions of urban population over time. Public health plays major roles in urban planning sharing jointly common missions and perspectives. The advent of smart cities supported by AI can have an impact on public health, transforming urban life, with important consequences for physical, mental, and social well-being. AI applications in urban health could support public health activities of prevention and surveillance, and decision-making process, ushering a new era of public health.