IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Smart Cities and Communities 2024 Predictions

IDC FutureScape Figure

• Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Smart Cities and Communities 2024 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

• Summary of External Drivers

• Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

• Prediction 1: In 2024, 75% of Cities and States Will Pilot GenAI to Improve Efficacy in Community Outreach and Customer Service, Procurement, Staff Recruitment and Training, and Software Development

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 2: Only 10% of Medium-Sized and Large Cities by 2024 Will Make Data Model Changes Required in Their Back-Office Application Landscapes to Prepare Data for AI, Advanced Analytics, and Collective Decision-Making

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 3: With As-a-Service Models Extending to Space in Multiple Orbits, by 2025, 30% of States and Provinces Will Use Satellite-Based Internet Connectivity to Bridge the Digital Divide and Reach Rural Areas

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 4: To Improve Constituent Engagement, by 2025, 40% of Large Cities in Asia and the Americas Region Will Pilot Online Journeys Using Voice and Text Conversations Leveraging Real-Time Contextual AI Tools

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 5: By 2025, 70% of Subnational Governments Will Deploy Hybrid Cloud to Protect Sensitive Information While Deploying Multicloud for Valued Services, Application Development, and Edge Data Integration

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 6: By 2026, Cyberattacks and Crimes Caused by Weaponized GenAI Will Impact 90% of Local and Regional Governments Driving Adoption of New Human-Centered Cybersecurity and Public Safety Approaches

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 7: By 2026, 50% of Local Governments Will Struggle to Realize Benefits from New Networking Investments, from Fiber to 5G, and Will Look to Professional Services Firms to Help Drive Utilization and Value

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 8: By 2027, 40% of States, Provinces, and Large Cities Will Deploy Spatial Computing to Create Immersive 3D Models and Digital Twins to Support Environmental and Urban Planning and Emergency Management

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 9: By 2028, 50% of Major Cities Will Upgrade Back- and Front-Office Technologies to Improve Employee Experiences and Recruit and Retain Workers with Critical Skills in Major Software and Cloud Platforms

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 10: By 2028, 60% of Major Cities Will Collaborate via Regional Ecosystems to Standardize ICT Frameworks, Leading Vendors to Adopt Open Standards and APIs for Smart Transportation and Climate Action

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

• AI Everywhere — Generative AI Takes the Spotlight

• The Drive to Automate — Maximizing Efficiency and New Opportunities

• Cybersecurity and Risk — Building Resilience Against Multiplying Threats

• The Digital Business Imperative — Competitiveness and Outcomes

• Everything as a Service Intensifies — Transforming Models to Drive Change

• Dynamic Work and Skills Requirements — New Work Mode Era

• Operationalization of ESG — Measuring and Implementing Sustainability

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• Related Research