The Urban Future Between AI and Ethics: Socio-Psychological Implications in Smart City Development

Abstract

This article examines the complex relationship between the rapid development of Smart Cities and the psychosocial and ethical implications of implementing AI and IoT technologies. While smart cities promise enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life through advanced connectivity and data collection, we can argue that this technological focus often neglects crucial psycho-social and ethical challenges. It was identified the main technological problems such as are the rapid pace of technological change, significant data privacy and security vulnerabilities, problems with system interoperability, and the vendor lock-in. Even the pursuit of technological efficiency can have significant negative psycho-social impacts on residents. Efficiency and stress (constant connectivity and the push for algorithmic efficiency can exponentially increase the rhythm of life, leading to higher levels of stress and anxiety among inhabitants), digital divide and social exclusion (digital systems often favor young, educated, and high-income individuals with high digital literacy. Vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, or migrants who do not speak the local language, risk being excluded from essential services, becoming "invisible people" within the urban landscape), loss of cognitive abilities and autonomy (dependence on technology can lead to cognitive offloading and digital amnesia, progressively limiting critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills) and filter bubbles and echo chambers (search systems and applications often create "filter bubbles" and "echo chambers" that isolate users within information confirming their existing beliefs, limiting access to diverse perspectives and potentially leading to conceptual radicalization ) are the most important negative effects. In the last part, it was underlined the ethical principle, based on kantian deonthology: "First, the Human being". The smart cities must prioritize human well-being and ethical behavior such as inclusivity, equity, and transparency. In conclusion, we advocate for a "Social Smart" approach, arguing that technology should act as an "infrastructure of empathy" rather than an end in itself.