Infrastructure & Strategic Innovation Chat

Dentons is proud to share this special episode in partnership with the Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org). Robert Bell, ICF co-founder, speaks with members of Dentons’ Infrastructure & Strategic Innovation Think Tank about five burning questions facing city leaders and why they matter.

Cities of all sizes face a wide range of challenges, from those that local governments manage every day to higher-risk issues with the potential to affect a city’s future. The conversation explores the questions city leaders should be asking as they navigate these challenges and considers how to identify the issues that warrant greater attention.

This episode offers a thought-provoking look at some of the complex issues facing cities today, bringing together perspectives at the intersection of infrastructure, technology, innovation and sustainability and considering what city leaders should have on their radar as they plan for the future.

Dentons is proud to share this special episode in partnership with the Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org). Lou Zacharilla, ICF co-founder, speaks with Bern Grush, Executive Director of the Urban Robotics Foundation, and John G. Jung, ICF co-founder, about the growing role of robots and artificial intelligence in our cities and communities.

As public-area mobile robots become an increasingly visible part of urban environments, the conversation explores both their potential and the challenges they present. The discussion considers applications in delivery, industrial processing and transportation, alongside questions about the use of sidewalks and public spaces, urban planning, trust and how communities can successfully integrate these technologies into everyday life.

This episode offers a thought-provoking look at the relationship between emerging technology and the communities in which we live, including why trust will be essential as cities navigate the opportunities and challenges associated with robotics and AI.

In this episode, Kat Sliwa and Todd Daubert, Partners at Dentons, are joined by Arjun Choudhary, CEO of Blitz AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming municipal permitting and plan review. They discuss how AI-assisted tools can identify incomplete submissions, flag potential compliance issues and provide reviewers with a structured first pass, helping municipalities reduce delays while maintaining human oversight. The conversation also examines the practical considerations for adopting these tools, including integration with existing processes, transparency, data governance and the need to reflect local requirements.

In this episode, Kat Sliwa, Partner in Toronto and leader of the Dentons Municipal Planning, Land Use and Development Law group, moderates a dynamic discussion from the Smart Cities Expo World Congress in Barcelona with Todd Daubert, Partner in Washington, DC and head of the Dentons US Technology Privacy & Cybersecurity team. The panel also features:

• Taj Forer — Chief Product Officer, H&S Ventures and Litehouse
• Megan Higgins — Partner and Data Intelligence Leader, PwC UK
• Jacqueline Lu — CEO and Founder, Helpful Places, and Urbanist-in-Residence at the School of Cities at the University of Toronto

Together, they explore how the concept of a “smart city” has evolved from a focus on automation and efficiency to a landscape shaped by AI, machine learning and pervasive connectivity.

In an era of rapid innovation, ensuring that AI-driven systems serve people first is key to building sustainable, connected and inclusive communities. Success also depends on maintaining a focus on real-world challenges and selecting technology that is appropriate for the task, rather than being sidetracked by every new capability emerging tools present.

The panel emphasizes that successful smart cities are not built on technology alone. Public trust, transparent governance and meaningful community engagement are central to creating urban environments that serve people first. They also examine the challenges of navigating increasingly interconnected systems that span public and private domains and discuss strategies for applying technology thoughtfully to solve real-world urban problems.

Dentons is proud to share this special episode in partnership with the Intelligent Community Forum. Lou Zacharilla, ICF co-founder, speaks with Iñaki Gaztelu, the new Director of Modernization for the City of Bilbao, about the city’s remarkable journey from post-industrial decline to international recognition as a model smart city.

They explore how Bilbao’s digital modernization initiatives and deep citizen engagement have driven sustainable human-centered urban transformation and discuss the strategies that will guide the city’s next chapter. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in creating inclusive connected and technologically empowered communities.

In this episode, Todd Daubert dives into the concept of "private smart cities" and how they’re transforming urban spaces through technology. Unlike traditional smart cities, which rely on multi-departmental coordination, private smart cities benefit from centralized decision-making, allowing a single network to support everything from security to public transit. This streamlined approach cuts costs, boosts efficiency, and enhances access to services like Wi-Fi, education, and healthcare. Todd discusses how these cities could set new standards for innovation and social equity, showcasing the potential for tech-driven solutions to address urban challenges in powerful ways.

Explore the pivotal role of universities as key partners in building smarter, more sustainable cities. This episode dives into how universities provide critical research capacity, acting as community anchors and supporting municipalities with innovative solutions like housing accelerators. We’ll discuss the benefits of university-municipality partnerships, from data-driven insights to transformative urban planning, as well as the unique challenges these collaborations face. Featuring real-world examples, such as C4C’s work with the Municipality of Lakeshore, this episode uncovers how these partnerships are shaping the cities of tomorrow.

In this episode, Amer Pasalic speaks with William Muller, Vice President of Business Development at Seoul Robotics, to explore emerging traffic technologies smart cities are using to enhance efficiency and safety for their communities.

In this episode, Monica Song has a policy discussion on broadband with Ian Scott, former Chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). They discuss barriers, opportunities and topics like how well prepared Canada is for scaling up to seamless online access across cities and metropolitan regions. If you would like to watch the video recording of this podcast, please click here.

In this episode, Diana Doracin speaks with Naama Blonder who is an architect and urban designer and the co-founder of the architecture firm Smart Density, about how smart density contributes to smart mobility.