This IDC study provides our top 10 predictions for Smart Cities and Communities."Cities and communities around the world are tackling challenges unearthed during COVID-19 and recent severe weather events with a focus on foundational technology investments as well as technology innovations to provide more convenient and user-friendly experiences that are equitable, inclusive, and resilient," said Ruthbea Yesner, vice president, Government Insights, Education, and Smart Cities and Communities at IDC. "These efforts must be accelerated to respond effectively to environmental changes."
IDC FutureScape Figure
Executive Summary
IDC FutureScape Predictions
- Summary of External Drivers
- Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers
- Prediction 1: By 2023, 60% of Cities and Communities Will Have Been Impacted by the Global Energy and Climate Crisis, Despite Some Efforts in Climate Tracking, Climate Intelligence, and Green Procurement
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 2: Led by Efforts to Create Zero Trust Architectures, in 2023, 25% of Large Cities and States Will Use AI for Improved Observability, Network Security, and Other Cybersecurity Solutions
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 3: By 2024, Because of Ongoing Staff Shortages, 60% of Regional and Local Governments Will Realign Budgets and Job Categories to Increase Investment in Cloud and Managed Services
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 4: By 2024, 25% of States, Provinces, and Local Governments Will Create Platforms to Enable Data Sharing Between Government, the Private Sector, and Users to Improve Processes and the User Experience
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 5: By 2025, at Least One AI-Assisted Tech for Equitability and Inclusivity, from Multilingual to Accessible Services, Will Be Deployed in 75% of Communities Over 100,000 in Population
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 6: By 2025, 75% of Large Cities and Communities Will Form Industry Ecosystems with IT, Architectural, Engineering, and Real Estate Firms to Share Data, Applications, and Expertise to Address ESG Issues
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 7: By 2026, More than One-Third of Large Cities Will Deploy Multimodal Transit Hub Offerings to Promote Mobility, Sustainability, Health, and Equity Benefits for Communities
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 8: By 2026, 15% of Large Cities and 25% of States and Provinces Will Implement Self-Sovereign Digital Identity Schemas to Improve Secure Access to Services
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 9: Threatened by Water Scarcity and Extreme Weather, by 2027, 40% of Large Cities Will Have Digital Twins of Their Water Resources to Manage Water Supply, Quality, Resilience, and Behavioral Change
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
- Prediction 10: By 2027, 20% of City Products and Services Will Be Delivered Using Metaverse or Augmented Reality Solutions, Transforming Services Delivery, Planning and Simulation, and Constituent Interactions
- Associated Drivers
- IT Impact
- Guidance
Advice for Technology Buyers
External Drivers: Detail
- Storms of Disruption - Accelerating, Interconnected Uncertainty
- Cybersecurity and Risk - Scaling and Evolving Threat Environment
- Meaningful Intelligence - Differentiated Decision Power
- Ecosystem-Based Innovation - Driving Enterprise Value
- Embracing the Metaverse - New Levels of Immersion
- Mainstream ESG - Sustainability Is Measured and Mandatory
- Everything as a Service - Thriving Through the Change
Learn More