The challenge is to build infrastructure that can withstand climate shocks while remaining sustainable and realistic for cash-strapped agencies to maintain.

Three technology leaders are now pioneering AI solutions that reimagine how smart cities operate. What all three have in common, is using AI to make cities proactive rather than reactive.

Microsoft: Transforming crisis prediction into prevention Jakarta, the city of the Republic of Indonesia, offers a compelling case study.

Flooding has long threatened millions of residents, but the city’ s Smart City programme now uses AI analytics to predict floods six hours ahead – enough time to close floodgates, activate pumps and push alerts through the JAKI app before disaster strikes.

The system pulls together data from rainfall sensors, river gauges and weather services, turning what was once educated guesswork into actionable intelligence.

128 February 2026