Coming to Terms with Transformational Tech, For Better or Worse
By Amy Evans, AICP

Planners typically embrace technology because it offers improved ways of understanding our communities and relating to our fellow community members. Without it, our ability to engage with people, measure opinions and behaviors, map physical features and data, and compute trends and forecasts becomes ever more limited.

In fact, the biggest technological challenge that planners face today may be simply keeping up with it. New tools are proliferating as technology finds its way into every corner of our profession, from GIS to social media, public participation, broadband access, zoning review, and more. And these tools are more powerful than ever, with AI tools and assistants promising – some may even say threatening – to redefine how everything, from how emails are composed to how complex plans are developed.

If you are new to AI and looking for a good grounding in the subject, this 40-minute podcast from APA’s research director Peta Hurtado, AICP is worth a listen. For more technical dives, this quick read from Urban Design Lab provides an approachable overview, while a recent Bloomberg piece dives into the possibilities and limitations inherent both in specific AI design tools and in its broader use.