Bay Area Council Joins Global Smart Cities Dialogue at OECD Roundtable in Paris
The technologies and innovations built in the San Francisco Bay Area are powering the world, and increasingly, the world’s cities. The Bay Area Council was honored to participate recently in the 5th OECD Roundtable on Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth in Paris, bringing a Bay Area perspective to an international dialogue on how advances in technology and artificial intelligence can make cities more resilient, efficient, and sustainable.
Hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at its historic headquarters at the Château de la Muette, the roundtable convened mayors, ministers, and private-sector leaders from around the globe to exchange strategies for using technology to tackle 21st-century urban challenges, from housing affordability and workforce shortages to digital transformation and climate resilience.
From autonomous buses for rural communities with driver shortages to algorithmic tools to inform housing development plans in urban areas, the Council shared insights on how new innovations are being generated in the Bay Area that can benefit cities on every continent.
The international community is counting on California to continue to support policies that nurture the Bay Area’s innovation ecosystem, and as global policy bodies consider approaches to regulating artificial intelligence models, they must do so in a way that doesn’t stifle innovation or squander the opportunity we have in hand to design a more efficient and equitable future.
Cities worldwide are experimenting with new tools and technologies to improve the delivery of essential services, and global exchanges like these are vital both for bringing home best practices and for helping Bay Area innovations expand into new markets. To support the Bay Area Council’s global business and investment work, please contact Senior Director of Global Business Development Alex Foard.
