SMU Vice Provost (Research) and Professor of Information Systems (Practice) Steven Miller recently moderated a panel titled “How Smart Systems Enable More Liveable Cities,” in which experts discussed deploying smart technologies for the benefit of cities and their citizens. They elaborated on what they meant by smart systems in the context of urban liveability and smart cities, and how smart systems should (or should not) be used to meet the challenges of making cities more liveable.

Prof Miller noted that successfully implementing and realising the Smart Vision is more of a necessity than a possible option to consider for Singapore, as this vision is a critical part of the transition to the future economy. He said that while there are formidable challenges and obstacles, both technologically and socially, these challenges can be addressed. He believes these challenges are surmountable in Singapore and in many other smart cities in other locations, if we go about the learning and transition process in smart ways. He emphasised that a truly smart city needs to be more liveable for everyone – and we can make Singapore into a more liveable smart city as technology improves and as our government and inhabitants continue to engage in ways that enable them to co-create the way forward.