What Does a Day in a Cognitively Intuitive Smart City Look Like in 2050?
I am an AI trainer located in Amsterdam, one of the oldest and most advanced cognitive intuitive cities in the world. I recently moved here from Cape Town, and being away from home, I felt it was essential to journal my days to keep a log of how life moves at a fast pace here. Here is a short glimpse of a normal workday for me:
Morning Routine
6:30 AM
- My day begins early as always, but now I am slowly adjusting to the smart home system that adjusts the room temperature and lighting based on the circadian rhythms it detects from my watch. I was concerned about power consumption, as intelligent systems tend to consume more power than usual. However, here, AI-based infrastructure is powered by renewable energy from rooftop and window-based solar panels, while home appliances and smaller objects are connected to nearby microgrids. The best part is that since I am out of the home most of the day, my power consumption is low, which allows me to earn a few extra bucks by trading excess energy peer-to-peer via blockchain.
- I used to eat whatever I wanted, but since I’m all on my own now in a new place, I’ve decided to prioritize my health. The bathroom mirror has been a great help, as it analyzes my skin health and vitals, and recommends breakfast tailored to my nutritional needs for the day. Based on that, it also orders groceries that are autonomously delivered by drones from nearby local vertical farms within the 15-minute zone. I was thinking about how tedious it must be for our parents to wait for deliveries at the door or coordinate with the delivery person on the phone early in the morning just to get essentials. It’s hard to imagine stories of their parents who used to travel several kilometers for simple groceries and had to reserve two hours just for traffic jams.
7:30 AM
- Although I love to walk to my office, my office has arranged for a self-driving electric pod that arrives promptly at 7:35 AM and navigates via 6G-connected traffic systems, optimizing routes in real-time to avoid congestion. I am falling in love with the pedestrian-friendly streets and cycling lanes here and wish someday my schedule allows me to become part of it. According to my pod, 85% of daily commuters walk every morning, as most of their destinations are within a 15-minute walk.
My Workplace
9:00 AM
- I usually arrive at my workplace by 7:45 or 7:50 AM and return outside for breakfast around 9:00 AM with my colleagues. There is a beautiful park close to the office, and the best part is that it has AI-based benches that can sense overcrowding and redirect us to quieter zones via our AR glasses. It is usually just my two friends and I who finish the break and leave the remains in the smart waste bins. Last week, I saw an autonomous collection bot emptying its contents and taking them for recycling to a facility visible from my office window.
12:00 PM
- Most of the time, I cook my lunch, but once or twice a week, my colleagues and I enjoy visiting the rooftop garden restaurant located on top of my workplace building. It is known for its special preparations, and I can vouch for the quality, as we almost every day witness it sourcing ingredients from nearby hydroponic farms. Today, we ordered a pepperoni pizza and a hot dog; since we had an early meeting, we got it packed. However, we forgot to pay while hurrying back, as the notification came that my friend paid via facial recognition. The facial recognition systems here are all linked to a city-wide digital ID system.
5:30 PM
- While returning from work, I paid a visit to “Arneca,” a mixed-reality sports court in the neighborhood park on my way home, where I played handball with some bots. The most interesting part is that they can adjust game difficulty based on players’ fitness levels. I am currently on the mediocre level; in just a few more days, I will unlock the pro level in these bots.
Evenings
6:45 PM
- By the time the pod dropped me home, the dinner ingredients had already been delivered to my doorstep through subterranean delivery tunnels, minimizing road traffic. I wasn’t in much of a mood to cook, so I decided to try the new ghost kitchen a few blocks away. Also, it gave me a chance to finally use my new e-bike that was delivered last week. I was worried that it was late and the place might just close down; however, thanks to automated navigation in this micro mobile, I reached there just in time. I know, I know; the real credit goes to the edge AI-based traffic management systems. Still, my gratitude inclines more towards my purchase.
9:00 PM
As my day comes to a close, I enjoy the stunning city view from my window with AI-driven surveillance drones patrolling neighborhoods. The home manual informs me that they can detect anomalies (e.g., unattended packages) and alert human responders for critical issues. Noise sensors enforce quiet hours. Since I am on the 19th floor, it is already very quiet here, but it is reassuring to know the most robust security systems are around to ensure my safety.
Exclusive Insight
In Paris, 66% of the public area is covered by cars; in London, it is 1400 hectares; and in New York, 75% of street space is occupied by the movement and parking of cars. As urban leaders try to solve the rapid urbanization challenges, the 15-minute city model has emerged as an answer to the most pertinent questions. Apart from reducing carbon emissions, it promises a better quality of life for urban dwellers.
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