When cities think for themselves: agentic AI, accountability, and public value

Agentic AI is redefining the relationship between digital technologies and urban and institutional systems, moving beyond decision support toward autonomous execution and coordination. Its adoption is transforming service delivery, infrastructure management, and operational models across both public and private sectors. With recent breakthroughs from leading technology innovators, cities and institutions now have the tools to turn this potential into real, measurable progress. As these systems become embedded in everyday processes, the challenge, and the opportunity, will be to deploy them responsibly at scale, ensuring safety, accountability, interoperability, and lasting public value. The path forward starts with deploying these technologies responsibly, building cities and institutions that are more resilient, efficient, and adaptive for the communities they serve.