Global Scans · Smart Cities · Weekly Summary

• [New] Fastest Growing Region: Asia Pacific is projected to register the highest growth during 2026-2033, fueled by smart city programs, mobile payment proliferation, and surging automated retail demand across China, India, and Southeast Asia. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Demand in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.4% through 2036, driven by rapid expansion of IT and digital services, increasing corporate ESG compliance adoption, and growing implementation of smart city and industrial efficiency programs. FactMr
• [New] Major infrastructure developments in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, such as smart-city planning and autonomous mobility projects, are anticipated to boost the demand for advanced GNSS simulators. Precedence Research
• [New] KSA: Demand in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.2% through 2036, supported by Vision 2030 initiatives, rapid expansion of smart cities, large-scale renewable energy investments, and increasing adoption of digital sustainability and carbon management solutions. FactMr
• [New] Demand in Brazil is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.5% through 2036, supported by rapid expansion of renewable energy integration, increasing ESG compliance adoption, and rising investments in digital sustainability and smart infrastructure solutions. FactMr
• [New] South Korea: Demand for frictionless retail technologies in South Korea is forecast to expand at 19.4% CAGR through 2036, supported by advanced smart retail infrastructure, strong digital payment adoption, AI-enabled customer analytics, and growing deployment of autonomous convenience stores. FactMr
• [New] Government urban air mobility development programs, designated UAM corridor investments, and smart city infrastructure initiatives in UK are providing institutional investment that de-risks private sector eVTOL ecosystem development. Mobility Foresights
• [New] UAE / Saudi Arabia: Demand is projected to grow steadily, supported by smart city investments, mega events, and infrastructure expansion. FactMr
• [New] In Kenya, digital transformation initiatives including biometric identification systems, smart city surveillance infrastructure, and expanding data governance frameworks illustrate both the opportunities and risks associated with technological modernization. Journal of Public and International Affairs
• [New] South Korea will demonstrate its tech prowess under an initiative that will see it utilize artificial intelligence - based smart city technologies to support six metropolises in Southeast Asia in tackling urban problems that have been plaguing administrations for decades. Coingeek
• Featuring cutting-edge technologies such as AI, IoT, 5G, Big Data, and Green Energy, Smart City Asia 2026 is a dynamic platform for collaboration, ideation, and the implementation of smart solutions that will define the future of urban living. Eventbrite
• Mexico will use drones, smart cameras and robot dogs as officials prepare security for 2026 World Cup matches in three host cities. Puerto Vallarta News
• Expansion of Smart City Projects: The UAE's commitment to developing smart cities presents a significant opportunity for AI integration in construction. Yahoo Finance
• Every new smart inverter protocol, distributed energy resource management system (DERMS), and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network adds code that could harbor latent vulnerabilities. POWER Magazine
• Over in the Philippines, the city of Bacoor will be the testbed for an AI-based smart traffic management platform, which aims to analyze traffic conditions in real-time and implement signal optimization. Coingeek
• In Brunei, MOLIT, with support from local authorities in the oil-rich country, will leverage AI in developing a smart city integrated platform to help with water management and disaster response. Coingeek
• In 2026, the majority of discussions will be around digital transformation and recovery strategies powered by it, particularly smart tourism infrastructure and AI-enabled solutions. Mize
• Smart technologies such as AI could help cities reduce crime by 30-40% and reduce response times for emergency services by 20-35%. Rev

Last updated: 18 May 2026