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The Bartlett School of Planning secures funding on use of AI in planning and development

24 January 2025

New funding secured in partnership with Peking University will be used to explore the ways in which artificial intelligence is being used to shape the current and future planning and sustainable development of Global Cities, specifically London and Beijing.

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The Bartlett School of Planning Director Prof. Mike Raco and Director of Research, Prof. Lauren Andres, in partnership with Prof Tieshan Sun and his team from Peking University, have secured funding from the UCL-Peking University Strategic Partner Funds to work on London and Beijing and comparatively document, describe and analyse the ways in which AI is being used by market and public sector actors to shape the current and future planning and sustainable development of Global Cities.

The project will have three objectives, to explore what types of AI are being mobilised and by whom in the planning and development of major projects, and for what purpose; to understand the implications of the use of AI on the efficiency and effectiveness of sustainable development planning processes and their ability to foster (or not) more reactive responses to change (including those linked to climate change and other crisis); and to generate insights into how AI can help shape the achievement of broader policy priorities in Global Cities while meeting SDG goals.

London and Beijing are used as comparative Global Cities in which policy-makers are facing acute and growing SDG challenges around growing inequalities (SDG10), the availability of affordable and accessible housing, the management and production of high-quality urban environments (SDG11), the challenges of climate change and the building of resilient urban environments (SDG12). Both cities are at the forefront of initiating new and innovative forms of governance and planning to address such challenges.

Prof. Mike Raco said: "This funding is the direct outcome of our visit to PKU back in September and the building of an exciting new collaboration. There is an urgent need to better understand the relationships between AI and the built environments of cities. We will use the project to develop the BSP's longer-term commitment to work on China and to be at forefront of the global cities research agenda.”