What is life like in smart cities? From robotic hotels to driverless taxis

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence, self-driving cars and green energy have transformed the face of urban life. In its latest report, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) published the “Global Innovation Index 2025” (GII), in which the world’s top urban agglomerations are ranked based on patents and scientific investments. (BBC)

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The top 100 cities listed in the World Intellectual Property Organization report are responsible for more than 70% of the world’s patents. In the following, we take a look at the daily life in the top five technology hubs of the world.

This year, China made a significant leap into the top 10 countries and placed the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou” region in first place in the world.

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In the Chinese vanguard region, technology is intertwined with everyday life. In addition to traditional handwritten prices, street market vendors use QR codes to receive payments, and the Octopus card, once only for transportation, is now used to pay for everything from vending machines to parking meters. The Octopus card is a contactless and multi-purpose electronic payment system that was launched in Hong Kong around 1997 and has become one of the most successful examples in the world. has been

The second place belongs to the “Tokyo-Yokohama” group (Tokyo-Yokohama), which has more than 10% of all international patents.

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Contrary to science fiction, technology in Japan has a completely practical nature. Transportation smart cards and artificial intelligence sensors in stores have made it possible to pay without a cashier.

The famous region “Silicon Valley” with the highest per capita innovative activities and attracting nearly seven percent of all venture capital investments in the world is in third place.

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Silicon Valley is now home to a new wave of AI entrepreneurs, and Waymo self-driving cars have become a regular part of urban traffic. Access to technology in this region is usually 6 to 12 months ahead of other parts of the world.

The capital of China, Beijing, has been ranked fourth by producing 4% of the world’s scientific articles.

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Life in Beijing revolves around “superapplications” such as WeChat and Alipay that integrate services. Also, Apollo robotic taxis have created a safe and forward-looking experience for citizens.

Seoul is ranked fifth in South Korea. The lack of natural resources has pushed this country to innovation. Keyless and cashless living is quite common in Seoul, and self-driving electric buses are a popular option for citizens to get around.

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To what extent do you think such technologies can improve the quality of life in our cities? Share your opinion with us and other audiences.

Cover photo source: Getty Images Photographer: Unknown