The Congress participants will have the opportunity to explore issues related to the development of cities in the era of technological progress, including: cybersecurity, inclusive digitisation of public services, the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, digital technologies in spatial planning, transport and waste management as well as water management. The Congress is also a space to talk about the social, economic, and ethical consequences of digitisation, as well as how modern technologies can serve residents and support sustainable development.
Are we doomed to digital feudalism?
The modern digital economy is increasingly dominated by a few global players, which leads to new forms of feudalism. The panel devoted to this topic will be "Digital society – YES; digital feudalism – NO", moderated by dr hab. Mariusz Sokołowicz from the University of Lodz. Referring to the concept of Yanis Varoufakis, he notes that the dominance of technology corporations makes people provide them with their data for free, which results in the monopolisation of information and the erosion of democracy.
Elon Musk is the figure that is becoming a symbol of the era of digital feudalism today. Can it be done differently than with Elon Musk? The question is whether it is possible to imagine a world in which digital technologies do not serve a narrow group of privileged people living in the richest cities and regions of the world? Is globalisation other than excluding broad masses of ordinary people possible?
– announces Sokołowicz.
Augmented reality in cities
The presence and potential of XR, AR (eXtended Reality, Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies in the area of city development and management is growing.
These technologies are used in areas such as training for services responsible for the safety and operation of cities (especially within smart cities), territorial marketing, tourism development, education, culture, as well as innovative forms of social participation
– lists Dr Błażej Filanowski from the University of Lodz, who will moderate the panel on the use of XR and VR technologies in everyday urban life.
Invited experts will discuss the possibilities of using these technologies in urban development: their level of advancement, costs of implementation and maintenance, benefits and risks associated with their use.
Artificial Intelligence and IoT as Support for Local Governments
Modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT) allow local governments to optimise processes and improve the quality of life of residents. AI can support service for residents, automate administrative processes, analyse data and help make decisions based on collected information. In turn, IoT allows for monitoring urban infrastructure and quick response to failures, which promotes more efficient resource management. Examples of implementations of such solutions that contribute to improving the quality of life of residents include: intelligent transport systems, sensors monitoring air quality or remote management of street lighting.
In Poland, the mObywatel application, which allows you to store digital documents such as an ID card or a driving license, is becoming increasingly popular. By the end of 2022, it had been downloaded by over 9.1 million users. This shows that properly designed and functional solutions find a wide audience.
According to the European Commission's report "eGovernment Benchmark 2024", on average 88% of public administration services for domestic users in Europe are available entirely online. In Poland, the rate is almost identical (84%) which puts our country at the European average. However, in terms of cross-border online accessibility and cross-border electronic identification, we remain below the European average, which indicates the need for further action in these areas
– indicates Katarzyna Chuchmacz, Programme Director of Open Eyes Economy – the movement within which the Regeneration of Cities Congress takes place.
Cities between innovation and control
Solutions such as intelligent transport systems or autonomous vehicles offer cities a chance to improve transport efficiency, but they also involve the risk of losing control over data and infrastructure. – In the face of these challenges, city authorities must balance between striving for innovation and maintaining autonomy, ensuring appropriate regulations, protecting the privacy of residents and sustainable cooperation with the private sector – underlines Paulina Kozłowska from the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, who will speak at the Congress in the part devoted to the limits of agency of city authorities operating with the support of digital technologies.
During the two days of the congress, among others, the following guests will speak:
- Krzysztof Gawkowski – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Affairs
- Jerzy Bralczyk – populariser of knowledge about the language
- Hanna Zdanowska – Mayor of the City of Lodz
- Adam Haertle – creator and Editor-in-Chief, ZaufanaTrzeciaStrona,pl
- Magdalena Bigaj – President, Digital Citizenship Institute Foundation
- Tomasz Majda – President, Society of Polish Town Planners
- Bartosz Dominiak – Director General, Ministry of Digital Affairs
- Stanisław Mazur – Deputy Mayor of the City of Krakow
- Andrzej Urbańczyk – Orange5GLab
- Markus Hedorfer – President, European Council of Spatial Planners (Conseil européen des urbanistes)
- Sari Hirvonen-Kantola – University of Oulu, Finland
Registration and details of the event
The 5th International Congress Digital Regeneration of Cities is a joint initiative of the Open Eyes Economy movement and the City of Lodz. The Honorary Patronage of the event was assumed by: the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy and the European Committee of the Regions. Co-organisers of the event include: Lodz Special Economic Zone, University of Lodz, Lodz University of Technology. Partners of the event include: ING Bank Śląski, InPost Green City, LUX MED Group, Orange, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Radio Łódź, TVP3 Łódź.
The event is aimed at local government officials, urban planners, scientists, experts, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the subject of digital transformation. Participation in the Congress is a good opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences and search for solutions for sustainable development of cities.
