Can technology solve cities? During economic booms, we tend to apply the philosophy of the zeitgeist too broadly. But what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander.
The intersection of cities and technology is a perfect example. While well-applied technology and data analysis can vastly improve cities’ livability, relying on those tools to create a healthy, vibrant city is crazy. The tech sector’s focus on data collection and analysis locks them into a narrow definition of successful governance that focuses on the tactics of service provision while ignoring the bigger picture of community health. That messier, human side requires understanding a place’s values and personality, helping residents cope with change, and providing the infrastructure that supports the social fabric.
This springs to mind because I just read about Marten Kaevats, the National Digital Advisor of Estonia. Estonia has been busy these last few years redefining state bureaucracy in a wonderful way. They are the world’s first country to offer e-residency: You can become an Estonian E-citizen, with its specific but useful parcel of benefits, regardless of where you live.
Kaevats, a former architect, is restructuring the fundamental relationship between residents and the state bureaucracy. His goal is to make the state’s bureaucratic infrastructure invisible by utilizing a robust artificial intelligence program which will eliminate the typical touch points between people and institutions. By the end of this year, for example, he intends to implement “automated services across five key life events, such as new births, bereavements, and unemployment.” Have a new baby? She is automatically registered as a citizen. Lose a job? Your unemployment benefits automatically kick in.
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